


Don't Tell Cal

by Nucnik13



Series: The Stewardess [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Art, Attempt at Humor, Black Sun (Star Wars), Drinking & Talking, F/M, Smuggling, Swimming, Undercover Missions, Voice Change, Zekka Thyne
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:21:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 38,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26906548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nucnik13/pseuds/Nucnik13
Summary: NOTE: This takes place after Chapter 24 and before Chapter 25 of "The Stewardess" (just to give you context)When Colonel Wullf Yularen loses a bet to Cal Zapheri, he owes his old friend a favor. Naturally Cal is perpetually worried about his niece. Although, she's on the Thunder Wasp with the very capable Commander Thrawn who would certainly do everything in his power to protect her, the relationship between her and the Chiss has been contentious recently.Cal requests the spy master find out how Teela Zapheri is really doing, suspecting that Yularen will be able to extract more information from the Commander's aide-de-camp than what she would otherwise put in a letter to her uncle.The questions from the Colonel, posed to Thrawn's former stewardess prompt her to recall with perfect clarity some of her recent misadventures while in the company of the Empire's finest mastermind.
Relationships: Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Stewardess [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810636
Comments: 22
Kudos: 16





	1. About Swimming, Shopping, Conspiring

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ILoveDragonsALot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ILoveDragonsALot/gifts), [MasterHya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MasterHya/gifts), [Pureblood_Slytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pureblood_Slytherin/gifts).



> For my most devoted commenters: Your kind words have helped me so much. Thank you.
> 
> This was a series of silly outtakes from the larger work. I swished them all together and this is what I got. It's not finished yet but I've got a few ideas. If you have any other fun ideas let me know and I'll try to write it if not in this time frame then in another. :) 
> 
> Thank you all.

## Aboard the Thunder Wasp

**Somewhere in the D’Aelgoth Sector**

She watched the repeater display in Thrawn’s office aboard the Thunder Wasp as she waited. The Commander had been silent on what Wullf Yularen wanted other than he wished to speak with her. _Privately._ She hoped it wasn’t some attempt by ISB to sniff out information on Thrawn’s obsessive hunt for Nightswan, or worse - something to do with his continuous monitoring of security briefs for anything remotely referencing Black Sun, Stratna, the Preshini Sect, or Caden Ornt.

Teela shivered involuntarily.

No, it was likely some follow-up question regarding the assassination attempt on the Chiss. She nodded to herself and decided that had to be it.

That wasn’t it.

“Ah Teela! So good to see you.”

“Hello Wullf, how are you?” She greeted the old spy master with a coy smile as his holo-image coalesced.

“I’m well, thank you, my dear but I have to ask – “ There was a twinkle in the man’s eye. “ – how are you?”

Zapheri raised her eyebrows in question and her smile faltered slightly, becoming more skeptical, almost wooden. “Uh, I’m – “ She studied the Colonel more closely as he scrutinized her carefully. “ – fine.”

The last word came out entirely unconvincing and she winced.

Yularen grunted, continuing to eye her. “The reason why I’m asking is I promised your uncle I’d check to see how you were.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widened in relief and she bobbed her head in understanding. “I’m well.”

“Good.” The head of the ISB nodded slowly. “Very good.”

There was a long silence.

“Shall I tell Cal, anything else?”

She wrinkled her nose and cocked her head in question giving him a quizzical look. This time the Colonel pursed his lips as they eyed each other thoughtfully.

“I don’t know what you mean, Wullf.”

Finally, he sighed and rolled his eyes, “Come one girl, help an old man out. I owe your uncle a favor and he wanted to find out how you were doing – wanted for me to keep tabs on you, as it were.”

She blinked.

“Oh.” Zapheri scowled. “Did you lose a bet?”

The holo-image flickered slightly as Yularen glared silently at her.

Teela shrugged sheepishly. “You can tell him I’m doing well, Wullf.”

“He’ll want to know further details, Teela.” The Colonel growled. “What am I to tell the man?”

Zapheri looked around Thrawn’s office for inspiration. They had been on several planetary assignments lately…

Her eyes lit up, “Ah, I know! You can tell him I learned how to swim!”

“Excellent!” Wullf smiled, pulling at his mustache. “How?”

She stopped and her eyes widened. “How?”

“Yes. _How_ did you get the opportunity to learn to swim?”

_Uh oh._

## 19 Days Before

**_Truum Sector; Peloura 5_ **

She was running and it wasn’t easy having to dodge the primitive arrows and stone bullets while not tripping over the massive tree roots concurrent with swatting away the vines hanging from said trees. Teela had thought the dense vegetation of Peloura 5’s tropical jungle would have provided adequate cover but apparently the Xenani people were well practiced in the fine art of shooting at idiots.

And that’s exactly who she’d come down to the jungle moon with.

_An idiot!_

“I can’t believe you did that!” She growled. “Why did you have to _touch_ _it_?”

“Come, Zapheri.” Thrawn admonished her lightly as he swerved, narrowly missing a stone shot from some sort of sling. “I am now certain the Xenani will be willing to relocate.”

“You got that by touching a sacred _tapestry_?” She screamed. “Couldn’t you have just looked at it? Studied it for an hour or two?”

“No. I needed to confirm it was in fact, authentic Tulerian lizard hide.” The Chiss wasn’t even out of breath as they both sprinted from the menacing clicking sound behind them. “I do believe once their current pheromone level decreases, they will be willing to listen to our solution, that is – “ he paused long enough to jump over a decaying tree. “ – if we survive long enough to explain ourselves.”

“You’ve _got_ to be joking!”

“I hardly think this is a time for jest.”

“I hate you when you’re –Oof “

Teela tripped over a root, cursing as she flew forward, landing awkwardly on her knees. The Commander grabbed at her elbow and tugged her to standing. “We are close.”

“Close to what? Death?” She looked behind them long enough to see the trees come alive with what appeared to be thousands of one-meter tall insectoid aliens snapping their mandibles in obvious outrage.

“Manje yisikhathi sokukhipha yinike lapha.” **{Now is the time to get the fuck out of here! – Sy Bisti}**

“Language Zapheri.”

As they both turned to run, the Chiss motioned for her to follow him.

“Where are we going?”

An arrow shot over her head, hitting a tree several meters in front of her.

“Based on the sharp lines depicted in their Hall of Warriors, their limited sculptures – the Tulerian lizard hide on their more sacred works - and the aversion to – “

_SHUT UP AND TELL ME WHERE TO RUN!_

“ - any sort of reference to the nearby river in their tapestries I believe the Xenani dislike water.

_Oh. Shit. No._

“Water?” Teela ducked under a massive tree root that arched up like some gnarled finger while Thrawn leapt, pulling himself up and over it with a vine. “As in – they can’t swim?”

“They cannot.” The Chiss said gravely.

“Well that’s just wonderful!” She huffed angrily. “I can sympathize with them!”

“You are not hurt as you were on Manaan, Zapheri.”

“You’re not making this any better, _Commander_!”

“I will be there to help you, if you require it.”

“Help me to drown!?” She meant for the comment to sound acerbic but in reality, it was more of a wheezing sort of groan.

Finally, Teela heard it, the sound of moving water.

She looked over at the Chiss, her lips set in a pout with her cheeks flushed from exertion. “I don’t want to do this, Thrawn.”

He grunted as they both burst through another low hanging canopy of tropical plants only to find themselves on the cliff side of the second largest river on Peloura 5.

“Oh!” Zapheri immediately spun back around, a large fern rebounding back from her careless motion though the area, hitting her squarely in the face. “Pfff” she sputtered nearly slipping on the muddy path she and Thrawn created in their haste to escape the –

“Thrawn they’re almost – “

She was staring wide-eyed in horror at the advancing homicidal insects, until Teela felt a strong arm loop around her waist. In hindsight she only learned how to swim – not fly – although the Commander had taken it upon himself to try to figure it out because he grabbed her and _jumped_. Their decent seemed to take eons and naturally Zapheri screamed the whole way down (what else was she to do to pass the time?).

Upon slamming into the water, what little ability she had to take in air – she had lost most of it after screaming (expletives in multiple languages included) - left her entirely although her mouth was still open in some sorry attempt to try.

She immediately gagged, froze in confusion, and sank like a scholarly, foul-mouthed stone masquerading as an Imperial Navy Commander’s aide-de-camp. If Teela hadn’t been deathly scared she would have giggled. There was a tribe of natives on Pulatino that searched for smooth rocks, painted them and kept them, caring for them as pets.

_I am a Pulatinian pet rock!_

Belatedly she realized her eyes were squeezed shut and Zapheri cautiously cracked one open to hazy gray plumes of silt and mud. She looked up – or what she thought was up and began pulling blindly at her tunic hoping she could remove some of the weight pulling her down. 

Suddenly there was the uneasy sensation of water moving quickly around her and something pulling at her waist.

Thrawn.

Her head broke the surface of the water, but she didn’t find nearly as much relief as she was expecting. Her eyes burned, her lungs ached, and she coughed, gagged and flailed wildly until her employer once again looped his arm around her waist and pulled her along with him.

“You should close your mouth when swimming, Zapheri.” The Commander said matter-of-factly.

Although her throat was raw the comment elicited a sputtered “fuck you” in Sy Bisti. He continued to pull her through the water and after blinking away the river silt-induced blurriness, she looked around. “How are we getting back to the ship?” Teela asked hoarsely.

“We will swim.”

She blinked again and cocked her head from side-to-side. There was water in her ears. Actually there was water everywhere. And mud.

“Just drop me off on the shore and come and get me, then.” She made an attempt to kick her legs – like she was hunching over and running.

Thrawn suddenly stopped his motion through the water and stared at her quizzically. He mumbled something unintelligible and shook his head.

“You must learn how to swim.” He gently pushed her away from his body but didn’t let go of her. “It is imperative; a key skill for survival.”

“Oh-oh. No. no. It’s not. Not right now, it’s not.” She tried to release her hold on one of his hands so she could grab higher up on his arm and claw her way back to the sturdier parts of him. “Don’t you let me go. Ungangidedeli! Ungangidedeli!” **{Do not let me go! Do not let me go!– Sy Bisti}**

The Chiss actually smirked at her but shook his head, “I will not hurt you, Zapheri but you must trust me.”

“Fine. What do you want me to do, other than die?”

“Relax.”

“I _am_ relaxed!” She snapped her eyes wide with terror.

He actually laughed but pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her, pressing Teela up against his chest. She stared at the Imperial green uniform tunic – looking much darker now that it was saturated with muddy river water – and the Commander’s rank plaque. Zapheri shivered but Thrawn drew her even closer to him.

“How - ?” she wanted to ask him how he learned to swim but he hushed her.

She tilted her face up to look at him and found his eyes closed with a small almost imperceptible smile pulling at his lips. He looked…

_Content._

Teela sighed and moved so she could lay her head on his right shoulder. Ten seconds later she heard and felt the squish of wet clothing as he leaned over. “Zapheri?”

“Hm?”

“Please take off your clothes.”

She slowly raised her head from his chest with narrowed eyes. Her expression was skeptical, but her cheeks were flushed, and she pursed her lips in mild irritation. “I see we still need to work on our social cues.”

He frowned slightly. “I do not understand.”

“Oh, I _know_ you don’t.” She said, her voice laced with faux sympathy.

“I would like you to take off your tunic and trousers so you may knot them together.” He motioned with one hand as best as he could, point to her sleeves. “You can turn any knotted-up garment into a rudimentary floatation device by simply breathing air into it and tying the ends -” He made another motion, this time indicating the neckline of her shirt. “ – although it is not ideal, it will be helpful while I teach you basic motions.”

Teela stared at him for a long moment, shifting her grip on him as she tried to remove her pants one-handed.

“How did you learn to swim?”

To her surprise he frowned fiercely, “The Ascendency required it.”

“Ah, so you learned from your military training.” She bobbed her head in understanding, turning away slightly to coax her pants down, believing he wouldn’t say anything more about it. Thrawn very rarely spoke of his military training prior to his time in the Empire.

“That is not _quite_ correct.”

She moved completely face-forward, her change in grip nearly slipped to the point of missing his arm completely prompting her pants to slide nearly straight off her ankles. She caught them by quickly clenching her legs together. “Oh! Oh, really?” She breathed a sigh of relief. How would she feel about making the trek back to their shuttle with no pants…and worse than that, how would she feel about getting off said shuttle and strutting into the cargo bay of the Thunder Wasp with nothing but her under ware on her rear end?

“What part’s not correct?” She asked absently as she held on to him, leaned down and simultaneously picked both legs up to –

“Chiss learn as small children to swim. Some learn even before they learn to walk.”

Thrawn studied her for a long moment. “You seemed shocked, Zapheri. It is a very normal and natural act.”

She murmured something pitiful sounding, but her eyes remained wide, incredulous. Apparently, her expression had rendered him defensive because he continued to gaze at her with an increasing amount of concern.

“I swear to you, it is the truth.” He insisted

Her head twitched as if she wasn’t sure whether to shake it or nod.

“Zapheri, what is wrong?”

Teela suddenly looked at him with grim determination. “Thrawn, how deep is the water here?”

“I do not know. Why do you ask?”

“When you teach me to swim, can you also teach me to dive. I’d like to look for something?”

## Aboard the Thunder Wasp…

“No, no. Don’t tell Cal I learned how to swim.” Teela Zapheri again looked around the Commander’s office for something, some inspiring idea or lie, she could feed Wullf Yularen, who could then regurgitate to nourish the tiny bird that was her uncle’s concern (or paranoia).

Yularen stared at her dolefully as she continued to ponder. “Why do you not wish me to tell him you learned to swim? It is a perfectly normal and natural act.”

Those were Thrawn’s exact words…

Zapheri’s eyes widened and her face blushed red and she shook her head.

_That asshole told the ISB I boarded an Imperial ship of war dripping wet with no pants on._

She remained quietly sulking for some time until the old man rolled his eyes and gave up. “Fine, what then do I tell your uncle?”

Her eyes suddenly brightened with a thought.

“Tell him, I’ve done some shopping!”

## 15 Days Before…

**Halla Sector; Bimmisaari**

Zapheri was certain she still had water in her ears but her hair had finally started to smell better – it reeked of river mud up until the day before they arrived in the Halla Sector. Thankfully, she was due for some personal reprieve time and there were worse places to get off the ship than Bimmisaari.

As she stepped off the shuttle she smiled and walked down the main artery of Glastro leading into the capital city’s marketplace.

“That’s a _lot_ of yellow.” She whistled softly to herself as she took a deep breath. The Bimms found comfort in uniformity, so much so that they all dressed in the same color. As she picked through the sea of furry long eared aliens Zapheri idly wondered why they had picked yellow of all colors.

_Thrawn would know._

Of course, he’d also likely know why the petite natives were so docile and good natured until it came time to buy something from them and stealing was comparable to murder here. When it came to buying goods at the market however, the natives would suddenly turn into rabid high-pitched hagglers, brokers and negotiators. But get caught taking something you didn’t buy…

Teela certainly wasn’t going to steal anything but she wasn’t about to be fooled either. She would reserve her credits for reputable vendors that were less pushy and more accommodating.

She sighed happily and made her way through the crowd, moving carefully and making sure to keep her eyes restless. If her gaze happened to linger on any one merchant, he would never _ever_ leave her alone. He’d probably try to follow her back to the Thunder Wasp prattling on in Bimmini insisting he could give her the best deal on just about anything from Bantha stake to a husband if she had a mind to purchase one.

She smiled tightly, the memory of Felix’s Emporium came to mind – instantly behind it the less amusing, far more sinister dealings with Venix and Tiny. Her forward motion stuttered and she gasped. The Black Sun second’s death by her hand played over in her mind while the echo of the Vigo’s taunts made her sick to her stomach.

_….“Are you enjoying yourself, lovely?...Oh come now, I’m not that bad and you are rather beautiful – perhaps if you tell us what we want to know, I’ll find a better use for you than as bait for large fish.”…._

Her previous amiable expression coupled with her sudden stop prompted the surrounding Bimms to flock to her like she had a bucket of crushed meal bar and it was breakfast time for a hoard of small farm animals.

“Oh no, no thank you.” Zapheri bowed her head diminutively. “No. Not interested, thanks.”

Their squeaky little voices were unrelenting, and she tried gently to push through the cloud of yellow chittering at her. Abruptly, a familiar voice, surprisingly close caused her to jump. “My companion is not interested, and neither am I. We do not accept sub-standard wares!”

The Commander was uncharacteristically harsh and arrogant sounding and Teela had to stop herself from spinning around to chastise him first for following her, second for his manners, and third for referring to her as his “companion.” Although upon entering her peripheral vision she understood why, Thrawn referred to her as such. He was in his standard “wealthy Pantoran” disguise with his tinted glasses masking the red glow of his eyes.

His cold tone and insulting words were apparently enough to cause every last one of the furry, floppy eared, Bimms to hiss and walk away, jabbering in their annoyingly high pitch at both Zapheri and the Chiss – probably sending a few words their way that Teela wouldn’t have minded cataloging for later use.

Teela looked up at her employer and smiled with mock fondness. “Hello darling, I didn’t realize you were leaving the children unattended.”

“Calm yourself, Zapheri.” He whispered.

Her sarcastic grin widened noticeably but she spoke through clenched teeth as he looped his arm around her waist and walked as casually as was possible for _him_ through the market. “The reason I’m here, is to get away from you.” She growled. “What’s your excuse?”

There was a small chirp from the Chiss’s comm at his belt. “Stand down and report to the shuttle. I have her.”

She heard a garbled ‘yes sir’ and as the Commander placed the communications device back on his belt Zapheri glared at him. “What was that?”

He shook his head noncommittally.

“Do you have someone _spying_ on me?” She hissed at him.

_“I assigned two stormtroopers sans armor to confirm you were safe.”_

“Why, you son of a – “

He turned abruptly, stood to his full height so that he could loom over her. _“Before you become sullen and erupt into a fountain of vulgarities, might I remind you there are several organizations interested in your capture and possibly even your death?”_

Teela pursed her lips into a thin line, trying to burn him with a glare that would have made the average person wince. He was completely unperturbed. _“Fine.”_ She growled through clenched teeth. _“Why are you here, Thrawn?”_

_“I have need of your assistance.”_ He murmured in Sy Bisti as he led her toward one of the far less densely populated side avenues, with less vendor stalls and pedestrians.

_“You do realize reprieve is mandatory for me as I am an aide to an Imperial Officer?”_

_“Ah.”_ She glanced at him to see the slight smile pull at the corner of his mouth. _“You failed to read the entirety of the regulation you are referencing, Zapheri. There is an interesting caveat to the rule. It is applicable during wartime or only when said Imperial Officer and his or her aide-de-camp are concurrently in combat for a time period greater than - ”_

Teela stopped suddenly and stared resentfully at him. “We _are_ about to be in combat if you don’t tell me what the hell you’re doing down here.”

“Come.” He pulled her abruptly toward a side street. “I will explain.”

The area immediately adjacent to the market was well kept but one row of buildings beyond it looked like any other place in the galaxy with a seedier side. This neighborhood too was strangely uniform in terms of the design and layout of the structures and even the level of dilapidation, but there was something different. The few inhabitants she did see were not Bimms. There were Rodians, Devaronians, Chagrians, Bothans, Neimoidians, Iktochi, and of course Humans.

And they weren’t in yellow.

Thrawn pulled her into a covered archway and glanced behind him, causing her to frown.

“Senzani?” **{What are we doing? – Sy Bisti}**

He shushed her and pressed up against the stone, indicating for her to do the same. Slowly a Neimoidian, and a human woman moved into the side street. Zapheri held her breath.

_What in the Nine Hells did he get us into?_

The human drew a very intimidating looking blaster – modified by the look of it – but the Neimoidian scolded her in the species’ lispy accented Basic. “Put that away. I have no intention of getting taken in by the authorities over something as ridiculous as brandishing a weapon in public.”

“Relax and let me do my part of the job.” The human woman groaned.

“He is too cowardly to come face-to-face with the great, Ven Karr.” The alien declared arrogantly as the woman seemed to pout.

“Pity.” She glanced down the alley and rolled her eyes.

Slowly the duo shuffled along without having taken the time to walk down the length of the street and Teela relaxed. The Chiss however motioned for her to remain concealed.

“Now will you tell me what’s going on?” Zapheri hissed.

Thrawn sighed heavily. “The Bimms are showcasing a famous piece of art. I have received an invitation for a private showing since I am intrigued by the piece.”

“Of course, you are.” Teela snorted.

“It is a forgery.”

“Come again?”

“The sculpture is a false rendition of the real piece.” Thrawn said dryly.

She gritted her teeth. “Why do you think so?”

The Commander arched an eyebrow and gave her a dry look.

“Sorry.” She winced.

She was really asking for a treatise on his analysis of art? Had she lost her mind? “I didn’t think about that before I asked.”

“ _Obviously_ not.”

Zapheri openly gapped at him.

_Did he just make a joke at his own expense or is he being arrogant?_

“You are aware I am quite skilled at interpreting various forms of art, yes?”

_Arrogant, it is_.

“No.” she shook her head slowly, keeping her expression bland.

He stared at her expressionlessly and she finally gave in to the absurdity of the situation and let loose a small giggle.

“The Neimoidian is known as Ven Karr – “

“So I heard.”

“ – he is a notorious, art thief.”

“Really, Thrawn? _Really_?” Zapheri tilted her head back in disbelief. “What in hell are you thinking?”

He glared silently at her for a moment and continued.

“I wish to help him steal the sculpture and use his contacts to find the location of the real piece.”

Teela pursed her lips. “Because?”

“Because I suspect the eventual sale of the sculpture will finance Nightswan’s activities.”

_Ah and now we get to the root of it._

“Do you think our old friend might be playing you?”

“Unlikely.”

Naturally, the Chiss would be skeptical. He didn’t exactly think clearly when it came to his shadowy nemesis. She almost found it comforting to know that the Commander had some form of weakness – even if it was professional pride. In actuality, she found his preoccupation with the mysterious being unnerving and more than a little vexing.

“Unlikely.” She mimicked his cool voice and shook her head.

Another flicker of annoyance from the Chiss prompted her to toss a mildly apologetic glance in his direction. “Honestly, Thrawn, I don’t see how this is going to get us anything but trouble.”

“That is why I have you, Zapheri.”

_Great._

“I hate it when you’re like this.”

She had to buy new clothes from _one_ of the Bimms without the entire marketplace trying to coax her into purchasing pottery, vacation packages to Alderaan, cleaning products, exotic perfumes, even personal pleasuring devices with multiple appendages that even Sia would have found puzzling. Thrawn was waiting for her in the same street, outside the door to what appeared to be a catering company.

“You will be Batas.” The Commander’s lips quirked up in a slight smile causing Zapheri to – for some reason – feel like his eyes were wandering over her figure underneath his tinted glasses.

She snorted. “Oh good, how novel.”

He ignored her. “I am the Pantoran thief Bors Futni, famous for a heist on – of all places – Cato Neimoidia.”

“And what did you steal?”

“The entire contents of Ven Karr’s primary account in the Bank of Neimo-Cat.”

Zapheri pressed the palms of her hands into her eyes, rubbing them as she did. “After this, I want a raise. I’m getting a raise, right?”

“I will speak with Colonel Yularen, regarding the matter.”

“Good.” She pursed her lips and eyed him mildly. “Depending on what Batas is doing this time around, it had better be a big one!”

## Back Aboard the Thunder Wasp…

Teela’s reverie came to an abrupt but temporary stop, her far-away look turning into a scowl as she cocked her head at the holo-image of the Colonel. “Wullf, did Thrawn ever say anything about a pay raise?”

Yularen arched an eyebrow. “For who?”

_Apparently not._

“Never mind.” She shook her head.

The Colonel seemed to shrug likely but continued to lob questions at her. “So what did you buy on Bimmisaari?”

“Uh, clothes and I – “ she winced “ – bought a bottle of sparkling fruit drink.”

“Really?” Yularen’s interest seemed to peak and Teela cursed herself. “I’ve heard Turressessi is quite good.”

_Damn it._

What was she supposed to tell Wullf? That she had descended into a life of crime?

“Yeeaah. It was…great.”


	2. About Distracting, Snooping, Stealing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: None
> 
> In This Chapter:
> 
> Miss, may I have a distraction?  
> A toast to compromise (eventually?)  
> Taji  
> Follow the Neimoidian  
> Thrawn on art  
> Thrawn in trouble  
> Uninspired  
> Should retire  
> Panic at the museum  
> Ven Karr's delayed retirement  
> Live to serve...prison time.  
> Pissing off (more!) natives  
> Gas?

**15 Days Before...**

**Halla Sector; Bimmisaari**

## Bimmisaari Museum of Art.

Thrawn, disguised as Bors Futni, studied the unnamed piece carefully or at least appeared to be. In reality, he was watching the room, taking in the movements of the curator, the museum staff, the caterer and servers and most especially the woman that had accompanied Ven Karr. She was no longer dressed in casual attire and without her fierce glower and intimidating weapon the Neimoidian’s hired gun appeared to be at ease in her environment.

_Interesting…_

“ _Sir_?” Teela’s familiar voice sounded irritated. “Can I interest you in a _drink_?” she growled the last word

He turned to her shaking his head absently, “No.”

She was dressed as one of the servers working for the catering company tasked with handing out hors d’oeuvres; it was a profession arranged for her alias pre-emptively by her current employer. Zapheri made the Chiss aware of her opinion on his secret-behind-her-back-scheming prior to their arrival in the Halla Sector.

It would have been nice if he had told her – if she had known she would have tried to break a wrist during one of their sparring sessions. Or better yet, one of _his_ wrists.

That was probably why he neglected to mention his proposed interest in Nightswan financing his activities with black market art sales, she thought darkly. Or at least one of the reasons…

Bors Futni did not look at the human woman next to him but continued to speak, this time in Sy Bisti, with a disinterested tone while pretending to gaze at the piece in front of him. “ _The woman in the red dress –_ “ he paused, waiting for her to nod her understanding _“ – I believe she too is a thief rather than some sort of hired gun or bodyguard._ ”

Teela’s eyes narrowed briefly but to ensure she stayed within her role, she giggled stupidly. “I’m sorry sir, I don’t speak Huttese. I don’t understand.”

_“It is very simple. She and Karr are partners. I am hoping to also become a partner but without his knowledge.”_

Just then, the Neimoidian strode into the gallery as if he had heard his name mentioned.

Teela wrinkled her nose and glanced up at the disguised Commander, “Well, good luck with that, _sir_.” She glanced over at Ven Karr who had approached the woman in the red dress, speaking in a hushed voice. Zapheri rolled her eyes at Thrawn and was on her way to offer the new arrival a drink and hopefully hear a small bit of their conversation when the Chiss stopped her with a soft tug at her arm.

“Your pardon, could you provide me something, miss?”

She looked up at him expressionlessly, in obvious ill-humor. A small, nearly imperceptible smile pulled at his lips.

_The bastard is enjoying this!_

“What would you like – “ She growled at him through clenched teeth. “ – _sir_?”

_“A distraction.”_ He cocked his head slightly as he assessed the two still speaking quietly to each other near the forged art they intended to steal. _“I would like you to separate Karr from the woman.”_

“I don’t get paid nearly enough for this shit.”

“I do not like this.” The Neimoidian’s lisped.

“Stop.” She soothed. “It’ll be fine.”

Karr’s mouth puckered in his species’ version of a frown “And if Futni shows up, what then?”

“Then you get a chance to get your money back.”

The tall alien apparently appreciated this concept and bobbed his head, his upper torso twitching with the motion. “Indeed. I will check on the droid to make sure everything is ready.”

The woman simply nodded and continued to gaze dreamily at the unnamed sculpture in front of her.

Upon her companion turning to take his leave from her and exit the small section of the gallery where the private viewing was being held, one of the caterer’s wait staff collided with him. The thoughtless fool was carrying a tray of bite sized grilled bantha, wrapped in Mon Cala seaweed and several flutes of the ridiculously expensive and famous Bimmisaari fruit drink.

Ven Karr shrank back in disgust at the detritus that hung from his ruined garments. “This is an outrage!” He thundered as the human woman cowered at his feet, making pathetic apologetic noises and attempting to clean up the mess she’d made.

“You ridiculous fool!” Karr spun around already spewing threats and insults at the approaching caterer and museum curator.

The food vendor proceeded to help the woman clean up, tutting in annoyance and chastising her for her clumsiness while the Bimmisaari curator bowed low making appeasing motions toward the Neimoidian. Meanwhile there were whispers and stares by the small crowd of beings surrounding them and the indifferent artwork.

There was, however, a resolution to the drama that had inexplicably unfolded.

The curator would provide the esteemed guest, who had so _egregiously_ been wronged, a private tour of the museum’s Staffa artwork upon closure of the current viewing and the caterer would offer a bottle of the finest Bimmisaari sparkling fruit drink – a Turressessi vintage.

There was just one problem with that…the caterer was out of Turressessi.

The Neimoidian had stormed off to clean himself up after the incident. And as punishment for providing the spectacular distraction that Thrawn wanted, Teela was sent out to one of the local markets to get some additional refreshment – payment to Ven Karr for his inconvenience, no doubt. Which was so much the better. The Chiss did not want her near for this.

He slowly approached the woman in the red dress, absently gazing at the artwork she seemed so hypnotized by. For several moments they stood next to each other silently. Finally, he heard her chuckle softly and glanced at her from the corner of his eye, the tint of his lenses ensuring that his gaze remained a secret.

“I’ve been waiting for you to come talk to me.”

Thrawn felt his lip twitch slightly. “Is that so?”

The woman hummed.

“And what shall we discuss?” He asked, his voice taking on a teasing note.

She finally turned to face him, smiling as she did. “Oh, I’d love to find out everything about _you_.” Her eyes moved from his face, down suggestively as she offered him her hand. “I’ve heard such interesting things about Bors Futni.”

“You assume to know me – “ The commander took her proffered arm and turned it slightly to kiss the inside of her bared wrist. “ – but I know nothing of you. I hope you will rectify the situation.”

“Taji Inosh”

Gulig, the caterer hadn’t been pleased but he had sent payment to one of the market vendors along with word that a woman under his employ would be there to pick up the bottle of Turressessi post haste.

When Zapheri returned, bottle of refreshment in hand, entering the museum from the back as no one wanted to see the wait staff enter near the foyer during a private event. She arrived just in time to see Ven Karr exit the ‘fresher station, still dabbing at his robe and muttering curses. Opting to not get in his way yet again she waited for him to return to the gathering, but he didn’t go. Instead he ambled off in the opposite direction.

Teela pursed her lips. Thrawn, she knew would be keeping an eye on the woman and although he had his suspicions, the Neimoidian was a known quantity – he _was_ an art thief, not a suspected burglar or gun for hire like the woman.

So naturally she followed Ven Karr.

Thrawn swallowed his discomfort over the woman’s obvious interest in his physical attributes. At first, he wanted to believe a seduction was part of her plan to distract or deflect him from her true intent and from their shared goal – or the objective she _assumed_ they shared. Alas, her flushed face and the dilated pupils of her wandering gaze, unabashedly hungry, provided objective evidence to the contrary.

If Zapheri were here she would likely turn sullen notwithstanding his need to remain in character. Her feelings toward Senior Lieutenant Vanya Grantar had given him pause, but he was thankful for them, for multiple reasons.

_…. “What manner of feeling are you referring to Zapheri?”_

_“Umhawu.” **{Jealousy - Sy Bisti}**_

_…. “I see.”_

Teela’s dislike and suspicion of Grantar had probably saved his life but it was more than that. He found it oddly pleasing to know she felt threatened by another female’s interest in him. Although, she had to have known he never would have engaged with another Imperial officer, it was exhilarating to think Zapheri still held some feeling for him despite everything that had transpired.

But, in this particular case there was a distinct possibility he would have to engage with Taji Inosh. Not as Commander Thrawn but as Bors Futni. Regardless, Teela Zapheri would be livid if history was anything to go by…but only _if_ she were to see.

And right now, she wasn’t there.

“Tell me, Bors, how do you know Ven Karr?”

The disguised Chiss cocked his head, letting his lips twist into an arrogant smirk – it wasn’t as hard as he thought it would be. “Ah, yes. Ven Karr and I are – “ he hesitated as if searching for the correct characterization of their relationship. “ – competitors.”

Taji giggled. “Hm, I got that impression from him earlier.”

“I am sure. Where did he go?”

“He likely lost his way to the ‘fresher.” Inosh chuckled throatily, placing her hand on his arm and leaning into him.

“That – “ Thrawn smiled lop-sidedly and stared down at her “ – would indeed be a tragedy.”

She blushed, “Indeed.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, the Commander’s eyes still safely hidden by his tinted glasses. He was the first to turn away, glancing around briefly searching for his aide and not finding her anywhere.

The Chiss was certain that if she were there, she’d be glaring at him by now or he’d have at least one hairpin in his back.

“What is it that you do, Miss Inosh?”

“Taji. Please call me Taji.” She batted her eye lashes and smiled.

“Taji.” Thrawn nodded and smiled thinly as if he enjoyed the way the name sounded.

“Actually – “ She sighed, heavily. “ – I’m in the same line of work as you.”

The Bors Futni imposter smiled. “Of course.”

“Perhaps we could…go somewhere more private to discuss our professional interests?” Inosh glanced at the unnamed statue they had been admiring. “But first – “ she gripped his arm and she looked up at him with renewed interest. “ – I’d be interested in hearing your opinion on this piece.”

_Ah. She is indeed after the sculpture._

“A mystery. Many people have inspected it over the years, but the artist’s name and origin are unknown. The piece itself is unnamed. I have my own opinion on its origin, but I do not wish to taint your view.”

Taji smiled. “I also have an opinion, but I’m very interested in yours.”

“Very well, you shall have it.” Thrawn nodded solemnly. “The artist is Crem Ralok of Bothawui.”

The woman in red made a very unflattering sound. “I beg your pardon.” She tried to hide her grin and stifle her laugh. “I have to say I’m very disappointed.”

“How so?”

“Crem Ralok could never make something so exquisite.”

Thrawn stared down at her for a moment and turned to the unnamed piece, motioning to it as he did. “Notice the lines at the base mimic his Kaaga series and the contours here – “ he pointed to a conchoidal portion of the sculpt “ – and here are reminiscent of ‘Dancing in the Dark’.”

Taji’s brow was furrowed in thought so he continued.

“Ralok preferred muted colors and clay. He also used small animal bones to create tapered markings at the base of many of his pieces just like this one” he turned back to Inosh who was staring at the art with a strange sort of intensity and biting absently at her lip.

“It’s like a combination of all his work.” She shook her head.

“Yes.”

The Commander opted not to mention he’d identified the piece as being created by a Bothan first and then by process of elimination Ralok. The muted colors and use of light were clearly reminiscent of a species that was notoriously known for being secretive and elusive – a people that made excellent spies and politicians.

The woman looked over at him. “I would be happy to hear more of your opinion.”

“Of course, if you will indulge me. Perhaps some place more private…?” The implication was apparent.

“Yes.” She smiled breathlessly. “I would like that.”

She followed her quarry further into the art museum. Karr was apparently arrogant enough to believe he wouldn’t or couldn’t be followed. His cavalier attitude served her well when Teela followed him into a restricted portion of an exhibit on Corellian flame miniatures. Never once did the Neimoidian turn around to check if someone was behind him as he moved through several curtained areas. Zapheri smiled with satisfaction at how easy it was to follow Ven Karr, the elusive art thief…that is, until the droid spotted her.

The thing beeped and warbled at her, sounding indignant at her intrusion.

“Oh, sorry.” She apologized. “I just wanted to give this bottle to – “

“C’mon. Move it!” A woman’s voice said from behind the curtains she’d just pushed through to pursue the Neimoidian.

_Bantha shit!_

Teela darted behind a giant holo-board advertising the museum’s gift shop, the droid making a rude sound just as the woman in the red dress from the private gallery marched in holding a blaster and pushing someone through the curtain in front of her.

That someone was Thrawn.

Bors Futni was notoriously known as a lady’s man. Thrawn found such a depiction of ones character to be distasteful but for his mission he’d do what needed to be done….Which is why he found himself pressed up against a wall with Taji Inosh between his legs, pulling at his hips, with her lips pressed firmly against his.

She tasted terrible.

Like some form of cigarette.

_Disgusting._

He told himself to think of something – anything else. It was the wrong thing to do. He made the mistake of thinking of Teela Zapheri.

He pulled the woman to him and spun her around so her back was now against the wall. He hefted her up and pinned her allowing himself the freedom to move his hands along the outside of her thighs. She kissed him fervently and he returned it struggling not to cringe away.

Taji was no Teela. She did not smell of moonflowers, did not taste like the heat of his own desire and she certainly didn’t excite him as Zapheri did. She stole art, after all!

_Tsacavrcah!_ **{Pretend – Cheunh}**

The Commander found himself focusing on images of his aide-de-camp in the golden dress she had worn when she confessed her feelings for him but…that had been when he was forced to break her heart.

_Vun’bicn hah._ **{Damn it – Cheunh}**

While he struggled to settle on a fantasy to inspire himself into a more convincing performance, Inosh trailed kisses down his jaw. She didn’t seem remotely dissuaded by his hesitation and Thrawn suddenly recalled Teela’s surprising enthusiasm in the alleyway behind the Outrider. His hips jerked slightly toward the woman’s center and he felt the blaster holster under her dress – something he noticed by her slightly altered gait while she was in the gallery – but it was just the holster he felt – not the weapon.

Thrawn cursed himself.

The weapon was in her hand and pointed at his head as Taji looked up from trailing kisses along his jaw, a cool smile making her look almost feral.

“Bors Futni!” The Neimoidian exclaimed, sounding equal parts smug and angry. “You have cost me a great deal of money.”

Teela cringed and moved further into the shadows as the woman nudged Thrawn towards Ven Karr with her blaster.

“I hardly know what you are referring to.”

The tall alien pointed at the disguised commander and growled. “Do not pretend to be stupid. You have stolen from my Neimo-Cat accounts and you will pay!”

Again, the Chiss cocked his head and Zapheri could see his eyebrows arch skeptically and his eyes brighten with suppressed amusement even over the tinted eyewear.

_The idiot’s going to get himself shot._

“I am not responsible for the crime you accuse me of because I am not Bors Futni.”

The woman’s eyes widened suddenly and the Neimoidian jolted back as if he’d been momentarily shocked by a small current. “What!?” He looked at the human female. “Taji, I told you to confirm he was Futni before apprehending him!”

Taji seemed utterly befuddled. “You’re lying!”

"I never said I was Bors Futni."

The woman hissed and reached toward Thrawn, violently ripping off his glasses, revealing his red eyes.

There were gasps. Thankfully the sound of Zapheri’s sharp intake of breath was muffled by not just the other expressions of surprise by the slight buzzing of the holo-sign she hid behind.

“As you can see, I am not Pantoran.”

Both the Neimoidian and human woman began speaking hurriedly in Huttese.

“Uba koutmhekiua!” Karr snapped. **{You imbecile – Huttese}**

The woman glared at him. “Tah caiot maoue doth wa dan kaa. An cha naa mi da maee mo kuna kee tee doth jahke bai gee hahiaheah cay bu tee-tocky Dobra woy cay uba.” **{This could actually be a good thing. And don’t call me that again or you won’t be able to make grubs by the time I’m done with you. - Huttese}**

He let the threat slip, casually moving his head from side to side. “Kava caiot fa doth wa dan kaa?” **{How can it be a good thing? - Huttese}**

“Heoi pee ateema jeejee gee kaee bai kouuobau bu ukaua dah barmee bu kaae bahia whobauen da setchika bauh che copah yocola tytung bimay uba.” Taji smirked. **{Because now we have someone to blame the theft on besides the little serving maid that spilled high priced drink all over you. - Huttese}**

Zapheri wrinkled her nose and glared at the other side of the holo-sign. The Chiss didn’t know Huttese but she was willing to bet he would get the gist of what they were saying.

“Luto” The Neimoidian groused. “Jee hatkocanh kantkhia bu droida bai hhonvola don bu kiyaa baa poupiua an donohkepeu mob u koukhonpieueu.” **{Fine}{I will instruct the droid to slice into the museum’s computer and set of the alarms. – Huttese}**

“Dan. Uba doth bu setkhag” **{Good. You are the distraction. – Huttese}** She turned minutely toward Thrawn indicating there would be no more discussion but Ven Karr was taken aback by her statement and glowered at her.

“Dobra cuee banka!” The Neimoidian thief snapped. “Uba doth tanea cuee ai wa bkhoh moh joppay Jee boonowa uba!” **{I am more experienced!} {You were nothing more than a street rat when I found you!}**

Taji stepped back slightly away from Thrawn to give her clear view of him and Ven Karr and moved the weapon over to the other criminal. “Times change, Ven.” She murmured in Basic. “It’s time for me to take on more. Your time is ending. You can either profit by it or you can end up with a blaster burn through your chest.”

Karr had raised his hands in surrender as her gun had tracked toward him. He sighed heavily and bobbed his head in defeat. “You are right Taji. I am getting old and I probably – “ He paused. “ – _should_ retire someday.”

The younger thief obviously appeased, stepped forward and drilled the end of the weapon back into Thrawn’s side. “Good. Now, let’s start.”

Before she left the safety of her hiding place, Teela noted the droid that had been loitering in the area remained. If she interfered with the conspirators plans by sabotaging the thing’s ability to slice into the museum’s computer there was a chance Taji and Karr would abandon their attempt on the sculpture. And who knew what they’d do with Thrawn at that point.

No, it’d be best if she left the droid alone, so she scooted out from behind the sign and followed the trio out to the lobby. The woman in the red dress still had her blaster discreetly shoved into the Commander’s side but it was difficult to discern as she gripped his arm as if he were escorting her. The Chiss had wisely replaced his tinted glasses so as not to attract unwanted attention.

Ven Karr pushed passed and spun around prompting Zapheri to press herself up against the wall quickly to avoid being seen.

“Be ready, Taji.”

“This isn’t my first nerf and bantha show, Karr.” She growled.

The Neimoidian grumbled and sauntered off but almost immediately began to verbally accost a tour droid. “This is ridiculous! I am insulted and demand to speak with the curator, immediately!”

Teela didn’t hear the particulars, knowing well it was a distraction but as expected the curator arrived once again bobbing apologetically. She quickly circled around the opposite side of the main lobby area to avoid being seen by both Ven Karr and Thrawn. Just as she was about to slip behind the Neimoidian to return to the private viewing area where the sculpture lay susceptible to the impending crime, the caterer, Gulig, turned the corner and nearly barreled into her.

The resulting grunts and utterances of remorse prompted the curator to peak over the Neimoidian’s shoulder. “Oh, Mr. Gulig, you have excellent timing.”

Karr spun around, his eyes finding Teela instantly and then zeroing in on the bottle of Bimmisaari sparkling fruit drink she still carried around with her. “You!” He jabbed a finger accusingly at her. “You were supposed to provide me the Turressessi! You lowly thief!”

Thankfully (although, in hindsight she wasn’t at all thrilled with the outcome) that was the moment the Neimoidian’s droid had taken it upon itself to slice into the building’s computer and activate the emergency alert system.

_Ah, the irony._

Zapheri was strangely used to alarms. Her life was aboard the Thunder Wasp and if flashing, and beeping wasn’t perpetually occurring when they were engaging smugglers, changing out components and frying the portside targeting computer then it wasn’t a normal day and something had gone wrong. The other beings in the museum however found the sound disturbing and the strobe downright terrifying.

“Evacuate!” One of the patrons cried out!

Gulig nearly trampled over her again but this time without apology. A wave of yellow-clad Bimms quickly fled, many of them clutching their floppy ears and screeching pitifully. Several other representatives of other species were carried along with the tide and Teela could hear the sirens of the emergency service speeders approaching.

She waded against the stream of evacuees, finally having to resort to climbing on top of a monolithic stone slab on displayed, still clutching the expensive bottle.

_Thrawn would be horrified._

Within little time there was no one in the lobby of the museum and Zapheri slid down off the ancient artwork, running back to where Thrawn and the woman had been standing. She found that the Neimoidian had rejoined the Chiss and Taji so she skidded to a halt, nearly dropping the Turressessi. Teela peaked out carefully to watch, hoping that maybe, just maybe, the woman with the blaster would relax her guard enough that Thrawn could subdue her.

As it turned out Taji Inosh did drop her guard and it cost her.

Thrawn was led once again into the back by Taji and directed to stand opposite the droid that was projecting a map of the museum. The woman faced him but continued to point her blaster at him – this time digging it into his abdomen. “Those poor Bimms.” She sneered. “They really don’t like that sound. What, with those big ears of theirs?”

“I suppose when you sliced into the museum’s computer you overrode the standard emergency alert signal and created your own using a very unpleasant frequency?”

Inosh grinned with approval. “Very good.”

Ven Karr moved from behind a curtain to listen to the woman’s banter and sigh at her mocking tone. “Can we please, just kill him?”

“Don’t be so quick to pass judgement, Ven Karr!” She clucked. “We could use him. Maybe have him help us with our next job?”

“Absolutely not!” the Neimoidian looked over at her sharply.

The other art thief smirked good naturedly and pressed herself teasingly closer to the Chiss, making sure her blaster remained pressed up against his stomach. “I want to keep him.”

There was a soft click from behind her. Ven Karr had apparently hidden his own blaster within the fold of his robes. Taji’s eyes widened and her body went ridged at the sound.

Her partner in crime pulled her back slowly by her shoulder, away from the disguised Commander. “Hand me the blaster.” He ordered scornfully.

The woman’s lips curled in an expression of anger and embarrassment as she obeyed. After the Neimoidian had confirmed she was disarmed, he pushed her toward Thrawn so he could keep his weapon trained on both of them.

“The two of you will provide me the perfect means of escape after I take the sculpture.” Karr’s snout puckered in satisfaction.

“I don’t think – “ His former associate snarled at him until he stepped forward menacingly pressing the blaster at her. She stopped speaking immediately instead electing to glare scathingly at him.

Thrawn of course, remained silent as he watched the tension between the two.

“You were right, Taji. It is time for you to take on more, but I was also right. I am getting old and probably should retire.”

Inosh looked strangely at him her lips parting slightly on a question but before she could utter her confusion over his musings, he beckoned her closer toward the map the droid was still projecting.

“You and – “ The Neimoidian sent a withering glance at his other captive. “ – the strange Pantoran will climb through the ducts and release the seeker droids into the ventilation shafts. They will cut the power into the room where the sculpture is being held.”

Thrawn cleared his throat. “The ventilation shafts are wired to seal closed and will likely have trip lasers set to several traps and –“ His eyes flashed under the tinted glasses “– _other_ deterrents. We will, in the very _least_ , be detected.”

Karr snorted. “Yes. I am certain of it.”

“And if we are?” Taji’s eyebrows furrowed. “You know what the Bimms do to thieves!”

The tall alien shrugged. “It is unlikely you’ll survive long enough to be tried within their legal system.”

Teela Zapheri’s thoughts were clouded by her near panic as she listened to the Neimoidian explain his strategy for entering the room with the sculpture.

_… “It is unlikely you’ll survive long enough to be tried within their legal system.” …_

Ven Karr would be sending Thrawn and his former partner into a nest of booby traps that would likely get them killed while he stepped in and took the sculpture for himself.

He’d likely need to shove Thrawn and Taji into the ventilation tubing in order to trip the system of traps. This would close off the ventilation shaft, setting off an alarm and sealing any would-be-thief inside to be tortured for their audacity and moral failure.

While the two were being mercilessly killed by who-in-the-Empire-knows-what-or-how the automated system would open the room with the sculpture. This seemed counter-intuitive but the Bimms were interested in efficiency. The room would be accessible to museum security and the prosecuting authorities so they could better assess the scene and begin recovery if needed.

Of course, this prompt accessibility response time was based on an initial condition that currently didn’t exist. It assumed that the museum guards were continuously on duty. Presently the museums first line of defense was outside the lobby holding their ears squeaking woefully.

Teela pursed her lips in frustration.

_And I don’t even have a weapon… well, at least nothing more than my hairpins and this silly bot –_

Oh.

Zapheri looked down at the Turressessi in her hand and immediately took off running.

The woman, Batas, caught Gulig’s eye as soon as she burst out of the museum doors into the sunny plaza at the building’s entrance. She blinked several times and lifted her hand to shade her eyes. She was surprisingly calm given the wretchedness occurring around her. The caterer wasn’t overly surprised by this, she was human after all, and their hearing wasn’t nearly as sensitive as a Bimm’s.

Batas seemed to look around at the anguished aliens around her, her face contorted in sympathy and then suddenly upon seeing him she blinked and stepped back slightly. The woman held up the bottle of Bimmisaari sparkling fruit drink and blatantly tried to unseal it. The caterer jerked in outrage. The Turressessi was the best vintage of fruit blend on the planet and he had her get the most expensive – the absolute finest bottle available!

“THIEF!” He roared over the obnoxious sound of the alarms still emanating from the museum. Gulig pointed at the human woman and every Bimm in the vicinity turned to look.

“THIEF!” The museum curator seconded and pointed at Batas as she stepped back wide eyed, the seal of the bottle all but forgotten.

The uncomfortable crowd of yellow-clad Bimms suddenly became irate and surged toward her chanting “THIEF! THIEF! THIEF!” as if the word was a dagger to be thrown at her.

Batas however wasn’t going to admit her crime and opted to run…back into the museum.

Gulig and the roughly fifty other Bimms pursuing her despite the excruciating noise emanating from the emergency alert system didn’t see it, but Zapheri grinned as she led the angry mob of short, screechy voiced, furry eared aliens into the museum lobby. She ran past the back exit, past the massive stone tablets, around the curtained displays and to the engineering and maintenance section of the building. So ingrained in their culture was their disgust for stealing they would risk entering the building they had abandon due to a perceived danger. They were so angry that she arrogantly took something that didn’t belong to her, they rushed toward the very source of their communal discomfort

Teela Zapheri was never in want of an exciting life.

Although she would shortly come to find out her plan did have a downside, she giggled as she approached the main ventilation shaft and saw all three “targets.”

_Thrawn will be so proud!_

## Back Aboard the Thunder Wasp…

“So?”

Teela blinked. “So what?”

Yularen’s thick eyebrows knitted together. “So what kind of sparkling fruit juice did you get?” His voice had the slightest hint of strained patience. 

“It was the Turressessi.”

His eyes brightened instantly, and he smiled. “I have heard stories! It’s supposedly one of the best. How was it?”

“Oh.” Zapheri suddenly giggled manically but caught the Colonel’s expression – equal parts concerned and confused. “It um, well, it – ugh, it sort of – “ she looked at Wullf hoping he’d wave her explanation away as unnecessary banter. “ – that is, it sort of gave me _gas_.”

She stifled one last snort of laughter before she met Yularen’s gaze again.

“Excuse me?”

_Well this is awkward…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!!
> 
> This is just meant to be outtakes and silly stories so take it for what it is. Duuuuuuuummmmmb. LOL
> 
> I do have one more "chapter" completely written and although this was meant to be sort of a joke, the last "story" I have in mind is a bit darker so I'm wondering if I shouldn't include it here and just leave this open ended for whenever my twitchy gray matter comes up with something ridiculous.
> 
> Thoughts? 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading. Hope everyone's doing well out there and staying healthy.  
> -N!


	3. About Pleading, Drinking, Squeaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: I just make up science like I normally do. Because why not?
> 
> Translations: In text
> 
> In This Chapter:  
> Going to prison  
> Definitely going to prison  
> Thoroughly going to prison  
> Maybe not going to prison...  
> ...Or going to prison after all  
> What did Thrawn do?  
> And gifts too?  
> Can't sleep  
> Broken glass  
> Silent drink with an old friend  
> Gas  
> Sounds the same

**14 Days Before...**

**Halla Sector; Bimmisaari**

## Bimmisaari Hall of Ministers.

The Chief Prosecutor of Glastro looked up at the Chiss. “The people of Bimmisaari do appreciate your assistance in capturing Ven Karr and his associate Taji Inosh, Commander Thrawn.” The high-pitched voice paused. “However, your own associate must remain until she can stand trial for her crimes.”

Teela shuffled her feet nervously and looked over at her boss. “As the aide-de-camp to an Imperial Officer, Teela Zapheri _is_ subject to certain immunities.”

The Chief Prosecutor’s left ear twitched and his screechiness seemed to lower slightly. “Stealing is second only to murder in severity on Bimmisaari. The safety net of immunity will not help her here, Commander.”

Thrawn arched an eyebrow at the Bimm official, indicating his polite, yet mild skeptism at what the alien was saying. “Although I am aware of the supposed severity of her alleged crime, I do not yet know what she is _formally_ being charged with.”

The Prosecutor made a face. “Theft and endangering the art and culture entrusted to the Bimmisaari Museum of Art and the people of Bimmisaari!”

The Chiss cocked his head, “And _what_ , exactly, did she steal?”

The Bimm sighed and grumbled. It came out as a high-pitched warbling sound which would have made Teela smile if the situation hadn’t been so dire. A prison sentence was not what she had envisioned for herself. Zapheri hadn’t really made contingencies beyond life as a scholar. Being a stewardess and aide to an alien Navy office would have seemed outlandish five years ago, being in prison…well, that would have made her laugh.

She wasn’t laughing now.

“The Turressessi and the statue, of course!”

“Ah.” Thrawn lowered his head and cupped his chin; a motion Teela knew all too well. He was going to start a lecture.

_Great. I’m going to prison._

“She did not physically touch the statue.”

“She was associating with individuals who were attempting to do so.” The Prosecutor straightened his yellow tunic while rolling his eyes.

_Yes, definitely going to prison._

The Commander’s eyes narrowed, “And by that standard, I should also be charged. Is that not so?”

Suddenly the Bimm shifted uncomfortably. “That is different.” His ears flattened behind his head. “By her own admission she wished to create a distraction.”

The Chiss hummed noncommittally. “She used the Turressessi as that distraction, yes?”

“Indeed.” The Bimm nodded once.

“And that distraction and subsequent acquisition of the Turressessi prompted Gulig and the museum’s curator to recognize her crime and rush to apprehend her, yes?”

The Glastro official inhaled deeply, and answered slowly, sulking into an obvious glower as he suddenly realizing where the Imperial was headed with his argument. “As you say.”

“When they attempted to apprehend her, did she lead them to the true thieves?”

“She could have stumbled upon you and the thieves!” The Bimm grinned toothily, confident that he had found a flaw in Thrawn’s logic. “That is why I will issue the charges and she will stand trial!”

“Yet she did not escape the building as she could have.” The Chiss continued as if he hadn’t heard.

“What?” The Prosecutor screeched, his irritation becoming obvious now.

The Commander produced a small holo-disc from his belt, placing it down on the being’s ornate desk before activating it to display the layout of the museum. “When Zapheri led the group back into the building, she neglected to escape through the back exit here – “ Thrawn pointed to the location Teela had intentionally darted by while leading the mass of angry Bimms to Ven Karr. “ – but instead traveled to a location within the museum she knew she would not be able to escape from. Why?”

The planetary official looked muddled. “Because she was ignorant of its existence?”

“I hardly think so.” Thrawn shook his head. “By her own account she entered the museum from the back entrance upon returning with the bottle of Turressessi.”

The other snorted. “Then she lies or is incompetent.”

The Commander was silent. His face remained expressionless, but he continued to gaze at the Prosecutor, and it was enough to make Zapheri uncomfortable. It was very likely the authorities had already reviewed the security footage of the events leading up to the event as well as the event itself and the local officials were under pressure to find as many people at fault as possible. Surely such an elaborate plot couldn’t have been concocted by just two people and a droid and then covertly sabotaged by an Imperial officer and his flunky!

The Bimm didn’t last very long under Thrawn’s scrutiny before his ears twitched and flattened around the side of his head. He made a small warbling noise and dipped his head as if in apology.

“Fine.” The yellow-clad alien squeaked. “I suppose we can compromise. I will assign her with the lesser charge of endangering the sculpture which is by its nature defined as a piece of art and culture entrusted to the Bimmisaari Museum of Art.”

Teela’s eyes widened and she looked over at Thrawn, her mouth half-open in an objection but he already had his hand raised, warning her to keep her anxiety in ‘quiet-mode’ if not visually muted.

“Perhaps a trial would be appropriate.”

Zapheri’s eyes widened further as she turned to the Commander, considering how many hair pins she could get into the Chiss before he’d be able to stop her. If she were going to go to prison – and yes, if the stories were true and she made it to jury, she _would_ be going to prison - she wanted no regrets.

_Might as well go to prison for murder too!_

“I agree.” The Prosecutor bobbed his head, apparently appeased.

The Chiss nodded curtly. “In that case, I suggest the sculpture be taken in as evidence immediately.”

The satisfied set of the official’s shoulders seemed to wilt, “What? What are you talking about? As you pointed out, she did not even touch the artwork. Do you wish to go ahead with a trial for _that_ crime, as well?”

“Not at all.” Thrawn shook his head. “The sculpture goes to her state of mind; her motivations in how she conducted herself.”

The Bimm simply stared at the Chiss, his furry ears twitching in frustration. Teela suspected his expression was one of cynicism but really it just looked like disgust to her. The Imperial wasn’t deterred by his confusion, instead his lips pulled up in a thin smile and his aide covered her mouth discreetly to hide her own smile.

This was Thrawn at his best.

_Maybe I’m not going to prison after all…_

“I informed Teela Zapheri that the sculpture was not authentic.”

The Chief Prosecutor of Glastro nearly choked on a high-pitched scream. “EXCUSE ME?”

“The unnamed sculpture currently residing in the North Wing of the Bimmisaari Museum of Art is a forgery.”

_…Or not._

“How the feathery devils do you know that!?” The Bimm cried.

Thrawn smiled enigmatically. “What do you know of art, Chief Prosecutor?”

_Annnd, here we go…._

## 14 Days Before…

**Halla Sector; Bimmisaari**

**Back Aboard the Thunder Wasp**

She felt tired but vindicated when they returned to the ship.

Thrawn had managed to get the information he wanted from Ven Karr and Taji Inosh. In exchange for a shorter prison sentence from the Bimms, they provided him with several potential points of contact for art sales on the black market. He didn’t immediately share them with her; he’d wait until several days later when it was already too later for her to say no to their next misadventure.

Teela could only imagine how the Commander talked the Bimmisaari government into loosening their historically uncompromising stance on thieves. The Chief Prosecutor of Glastro had personally apologized to her as did the museum curator and Gulig, her one-time boss. The whole experience seemed surreal as she assured them there was no harm done and she was just glad she could be of service. Yet for her “suffering” and due to “the harshness in which she’d been treated” they insisted she keep the bottle of Turressessi she had carried around with her for the last half day.

She continued to hold it even while the curator gave the Chiss a tour of the museum’s Staffa artwork. Teela was never far behind, admiring color, shape and texture but really it was more pleasing to watch Thrawn appreciate the displays.

It was during these times that her heart would clench, and she would have to remind herself that he didn’t feel the same way she did.

So, she did her best to ignore it.

She couldn’t sleep and like so many nights she decided to get dressed and walk the corridors of the Thunder Wasp. Teela would eventually make her way to Thrawn’s office to see if his light was on. Even during the early hours of the morning his workspace was almost always still occupied. She would, during normal hours, casually recommend he get better rest but his excuse had always been that Chiss required less sleep that humans.

This time was no different. He was still in his office. Zapheri sighed and shook her head.

A thought occurred to her then - the Turressessi remained unopened in her own quarters. The drink was not considered contraband as it had no addictive or inhibitive properties. A bottle consisted of fruit juice but what made it so expensive and rare was that it was processed over a thousand years in a sparkling spring; it’s taste was maintained supposedly by the suspension of btorziton gas which was a harmless additive used in Bimmisaari foods.

Turressessi in quantities greater than a sip were very rarely had by non-Bimms. To be gifted with a whole bottle was an honor, prompting her to once again wonder what Thrawn had done to lead the planetary officials to shower them with offerings of conciliation and amity.

Regardless, there was no one else she could envision sharing the Turressessi with than the Commander of the Thunder Wasp.

Teela quickly returned to her cabin and grabbed the bottle, arriving back up to Thrawn’s office just as he was exiting.

“Oh!”

“Zapheri?” His eyes narrowed in concern. “Why are you here after hours?”

“I – “ she cringed, as she tried to hide the drink behind her. “ – couldn’t sleep.”

It came out sounding more like a question than a statement and the Chiss arched an eyebrow as his gaze dropped down to the bottle at her side.

“I see.”

She pursed her lips and shrugged, looking everywhere but his face – first the floor, then the hazily flickering light fixture (damn, someone needed to fix that!), then the wall, then his feet. “I could tell that you were still in your office and thought – “ she held up the hard-won flask in front of her “ – we could try this?”

Teela finally made eye contact, looking sheepish. He blinked, “Very well.”

The Commander quickly turned back around and keyed his office door with his code cylinder as Zapheri snorted in mild surprise. She really didn’t expect him to agree. Their relationship had become turbulent, but they had recently formed a truce, one that occasionally frayed at the edges but... Thrawn inviting her into his office, after hours to share a drink was approaching the line they had agreed to draw separating her feelings from his supposed indifference.

Teela mentally berated herself.

_But you’re the one that asked him._

“I don’t have anything to put it in.” She mumbled absently

“I do.”

“Ah.” She bobbed her head.

The Chiss sat behind his desk and as she sat across from him, he produced two long stem glasses from one of his desk storage units.

Teela wrinkled her nose skeptically at them. What was he doing with finery used for alcoholic beverages?

“Thrawn, is there something you want to tell me?”

He stiffened, stopping in mid-motion before placing the glasses down on the desk as he looked at her quizzically. “I do not understand.”

“Why do you have wine glasses in your office?” She shook her head, feeling a tight smile tug at her lips. She knew there had to be an explanation other than he’d suddenly became a wine devotee. Zapheri suspected Thrawn wasn’t an avid consumer of alcohol simply because he never liked _not_ being in control.

He looked from her to the glasses blankly. “Commander Cheno left these. I did not feel inclined to dispose of them.”

“Ah.” She grinned teasingly.

The Chiss resumed his movements, placing the small flutes down as she brought forth the bottle. Teela looked up at him concernedly, “Alfren didn’t happen to have a bottle opener, did he?”

Thrawn smirked and handed her the sought after tool from the same desk unit he’d gotten the glasses from. “He did indeed.”

She giggled. “What else do you have in there? A map to the Katana Fleet?”

“Sadly, no.”

Zapheri rolled her eyes as she struggled with the cap, grunting and pursing her lips in frustration.

“Do you require assistance?” Thrawn asked dryly.

She shot him a sour look as she twisted the cap, “I rebuild hyperdrives, I can handle a bottle.”

The Commander’s brow arched in skeptical amusement. “Obviously.”

“Ngisebenzele! Isiqueshana esincane se –“ **{Work! You little piece of – Sy Bisti}**

He sent a hard look her way, on the verge of scolding her for her offensive language when there was a sudden loud pop, making her gasp with surprise. The Chiss of course didn’t even flinch but Teela jerked back, knocking over one of the glasses breaking its stem.

Despite her profuse apologies and willingness to be the one to hold the broken glass (it was still adequate as a vessel to drink from) Thrawn insisted he would use it and she would take the unbroken one.

Upon pouring the sparkling fruit juice and taking several cautious sniffs of the liquid, she glanced up at the Commander realizing that the last time they had shared a drink it had been the Ansionian Gylon Wine on Coruscant. Zapheri felt her chest tighten at the memory and she unconsciously clutched at the spot where her heart was – or had been - while the Chiss scrutinized her. He’d learned to recognize these changes in her behavior and body language as symptoms of her recollection of unpleasant memories.…

And he knew exactly which memory she was thinking of, because he too was thinking of the exact one.

He inhaled deeply and studied the broken stemmed glass in his head as he shifted quickly toward distraction and deflection – a tactician’s greatest assets. “My understanding is Commander Cheno is happy in his retirement.”

Mention of their former commanding officer brought her out of her melancholy reverie, and she smiled softly. “I am glad for that.”

“As am I.”

Teela’s smile grew. “I think he has a daughter that lives on Corulag or maybe Alderaan?”

“Alderaan, I believe.”

She hummed looking pensively down at the edge of his desk. “Good. He was a good officer, good leader. He deserves a good retirement.” Her gaze moved back to him. “And obviously he had the foresight to keep glasses and a bottle opener available to us!”

“Very insightful, indeed.” Thrawn nodded, smiling slightly.

Teela grinned as she tilting her chin up in renewed contentment. “A toast then! To the insightful Commander Cheno!”

The new commander of the Thunder Wasp nodded solemnly. “To the insightful Commander Cheno.”

They both took a tentative sip and Zapheri bobbed her head in immediate approval. “I like it.” She murmured.

The Chiss was not so quick in his review, he took another small sip. “I do not usually prefer sweet things however this is – “ Thrawn cocked his head as he held the glass up to play with the light and study its contents. “ – agreeable.”

She smiled, “I’m glad.”

The two fell into an agreeable silence, she had begun to sift through the old dispatches on his data pad while he studied his console, both sipping at the Bimmisaari beverage. Teela absently filled her glass and smirked when the Commander quietly held out his own – clearly wanting her to refill it.

_Mitth’raw’nuruodo you have expensive taste._

She filled his to the brim, smiling softly at him as they continued in their silence. It was shortly after he finished the last of his glass when he discreetly cleared his throat. Zapheri looked up, her eyes tracking to the chrono.

She’d stayed too long. She’d gotten too comfortable with the unspoken acceptance that came with being with an old friend…or at least someone that had once been a friend.

Before she could excuse herself, apologize for over-staying her welcome, the Chiss cleared his throat again frowning as he did so. Teela pursed her lips and stood, bringing his attention in the form of those bright red eyes – to her immediately.

“I should g – “ Her eyes instantly widened at the squawk of her own voice and she clasped her hand over her mouth. “Ohhhhh.”

The staccato strident tone made her gasp but even the sharp intake of air sounded off. It was obscenely high pitched and made her cringe.

_What in all Nine Hells?_

She tried clearing her throat testing her voice on that very question.

“What – “ Zapheri’s face twisted in horror. She sounded like a baby Ugnaught!

“Thrawwwnnn!” Her whine was ridiculously annoying and the Chiss flinched at the sound of her verbalized anxiety, disturbingly reminiscent of a wamp rat’s mating call. Teela apparently recognized the offending resonance and coughed in an attempt to regain a lower timbre, but to no avail. She looked over at the Commander to find that he had retrieved his data pad and was scanning it intently.

“What are you doing?” Her shrill voice was enough to vibrate her eustachian tubes and she put her hands over her ears. “I sound like a Bimm!”

Thrawn remained completely silent as he continued to read which was beginning to irritate her. “What are you doing?” She asked again.

He shrugged.

“Was it the Turressessi? Are you – “

Suddenly the Chiss placed the data pad down on the desk and moved it toward her. Zapheri craned her neck to look, feeling him looking at her as she did.

_Uh. Ohhhhh._

Btorziton. A food additive.

“Udoti!” **{Shit! – Sy Bisti}**

His jaw tightened and his eyes hardened as he glared at her – the facial expression read “Language, Zapheri.” But he didn’t actually speak the words.

She made a face. “Do you have the same problem?”

Thrawn’s lip twitched, he inhaled slowly through his nose and tilted his head from side to side as if trying to crack his neck or stretch a particularly tight muscle in his upper back.

“Yes.”

Teela Zapheri had desperately tried to keep her face ridged with her previously held concern…it wasn’t so bad when Thrawn sounded like _that_! 

Her eyebrows lowered, her nose wrinkled, and she bit her lip as she pressed the back of her hand to her mouth looking away from the Chiss who fidgeted self-consciously. She let a little chuckle escape her, fairly certain that if she didn’t release it, the build-up of btorziton gas in her system would cause her to float away.

The Commander’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I do not understand what is so fun – “

Teela burst into high-pitched fits of laughter as Thrawn scolded her in a voice at least eight octaves above his usual tenor. He tried again. “The gas will eventually leave our – “

She continued to giggle hysterically as tears rolled down her face.

“Zapheri, the less calm you are the more likely you are to inhale sharply and – “

By this point however, there was no getting through to his aide, she had her legs up against his desk and tucked into her torso. Teela continued her high-pitched hooting as she pointed at him and clutched at her middle. “Now you definitely won’t pass as a Pantoran!”

He shook his head and looked away, rolling his eyes as he did so.

“Hey, Thrawn! Thrawn! Let’s sing a duet.” She chortled in her own chirpy voice.

“Absolutely not!”

Her bout of giggles was continuously renewed every time he spoke. “Absolutely not!” She parroted, her laugh like the hissing of an air leak in one of the hyperdrive casing seals. “We sound exactly the same!” Zapheri cackled jubilantly.

The Chiss sighed and shook his head again. He wasn’t annoyed – it was really his own fault for partaking in a beverage without reading up on the contents of the drink - he was embarrassed. Which was beyond _delightful_ to his aide-de-camp who had never once seen him show such awkwardness. “Based on my mental calculations we have approximately an hour before our vocal cords – “ She attempted to suppress a laugh but ended up snorting and it came out sounding like a Gamorrean’s squeal, prompted further entertainment for her. “ – adjust to - ”

“Say, ‘I want to buy a droid’!” Teela interrupted suddenly, her mirth making her breathless. “We sound like Jawas!”

“I will do no such thing.”

“Oh c’mon Thrawwnnnn!”

“No.” The squeak in his voice almost distracted her from the faint amusement that sparkled in his eyes. “Perhaps _you_ may wish to say something amusing?”

“I say amusing things all the time!”

“Hardly.”

And so, they continued to banter in their Turressessi-induced strangely bright sounding voices for another hour. Really, Thrawn could have read her the ship’s mouse droid cleaning schedule and she would have enjoyed every minute of it, laughing shrilly and occasionally noticing a small bewildered smile from the Chiss.

## Back Aboard the Thunder Wasp…

“It gave you gas?” Yularen asked.

Teela blinked once again coming out of her reverie. “Yes…So, probably not something we should mention to Cal.”

The Colonel lowered his chin and shook his head slowly, looking pointedly at her. “I should think not.”

There was an awkward pause.

“So if I should not mention your – “ Wullf cleared his throat. “ – digestive health issues –“ Teela cringed over his characterization of her experience with the Turressessi.

_Serves you right!_

“ – what _should_ I tell your uncle, Teela?”

Zapheri fidgeted feeling herself tense. 

“You could tell him I’ve just been sitting around?” She hedged.

“Sitting around?” Yularan looked at her incredulously

“Um hmm.”

The master spy started to look like a bushy white thundercloud “Teela Zapheri, you do not strike me as someone to just ‘sit around’ “ He glared at her. “So tell me, what were you really doing?”

“Really, that’s all…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi All,
> 
> Ok this is it for a bit of time. I'm going to start working on the next story I have in mind - its a good bit darker than these, far less silly and may not necessarily have a "happy" ending. The Teela/Thrawn duo don't always come out on top. My idea is based on the intel Thrawn got from Ven Karr and Taji. It takes them to Corellia where they get caught up in a high-end smuggling ring (art, of course!) and things go bad. It's an idea...but it's an idea that'll take some time. After this ridiculousness I have a feeling y'all can use a break! LOL
> 
> Thank you once again for reading this silliness. You continue to be most excellent human beings as far as I'm concerned. Stay safe out there!  
> -N!


	4. About Manipulating, Patrolling, That Pain in the...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: None although I do use the phrase "male sex organs" hubba hubba. 
> 
> Translations: Prego - it's in there.
> 
> In This Chapter:  
> He has his reasons  
> The very unhappy Bothan  
> Recommendation: Neru  
> Who's manipulating who?  
> Thrawn inserts himself  
> Teela expresses her feelings  
> Small shoulder guards, large chest plate  
> A little extra help needed  
> I thought they smell bad on the outside  
> Teela's got skills  
> Pain in the ass  
> Not.

## 11 Days Before…

**Bothan Space, Kothlis**

**Aboard the Thunder Wasp…**

She followed him to the hanger bay. Thrawn _always_ had a reason for everything.

Always.

So, what in nerf shit was he doing plucking some random civilian ship out of orbit? It’s not like the Bothans didn’t _already_ despise the Empire meddling in their affairs…of course, they loathed everyone except themselves.

Teela frowned guiltily over the thought.

“Zapheri, are you well?” The Commander asked without turning around to look at her scowl which had immediately deepened upon realizing the Chiss had apparently picked up on her mood without even looking at her.

_“Do you have eyes in the back of your head?”_

_“I was born without such a defect, although I could see how such a genetic abnormality could provide some benefit.”_ He turned his head slightly, while continuing to walk briskly down the corridor.

Despite herself she chuckled. He was trying to distract her.

“So, are you going to tell me?” Teela prompted as they reached the turbolift that would take them down to the hanger bay.

“Tell you why I tractored a civilian ship into the hanger bay of the Thunder Wasp?”

She grinned and bobbed her head in mock enthusiasm. “Yes, that!”

“No.”

Zapheri’s face fell and her lips puckered in a pout, provoking a small arrogant smirk from the Commander standing next to her. “I will not explain _yet_. I will instead _show_ you.”

The Bothan was _not_ happy.

Teela understood enough conversational Bothese to conclude that their newest guest aboard the Thunder Wasp referred to Thrawn as a ‘festering blue wart with red seeds.’

She jerked away cringing as he looked over at the Chiss. “Oh, he really _really_ doesn’t like you.”

“Of that I am certain.” The Commander waved away her concern dismissively as he focused his gaze on the irate Bothan.

The alien’s mane bristled as he transitioned from his native tongue to heavily accented Basic. “What do you Imperial animals want? I have not broken any of your ridiculous laws!”

“That remains to be seen Master Ralok.” Thrawn dipped his head respectfully as the Bothan suddenly stilled.

The Commander however, shifted his gaze to his aide and then back to their guest. “Teela Zapheri, may I introduce master of mixed media artist, Crem Ralok of Bothawui, creator of the unnamed sculpture which was the subject of our recent mission on Bimmisaari.”

She did her best to smile politely at Ralok as he glowered at the Chiss but she too ended up looking skeptically at Thrawn. _“I think it is time you and I have a talk about your obsessions with one particular criminal.”_ She murmured in Sy Bisti.

His hunt for Nightswan was beginning to intensify again and she was worried he was losing himself as he once had before she went to Manaan

He shook his head answering her in the same language. “ _I have reason to believe he is financing his activities with stolen art. Specifically -_ ” The Commander looked pointedly at the Bothan “ _– his art_.”

_“But that means you had to yank a civilian out of the sky to interrogate him?”_ She threw her arms up in the air, exasperated.

_“Why Crem Ralok’s art?”_

Zapheri stared at him in disbelief. Half of herself wanted _only_ to laugh at the absurdity of the question - it could be any number of reasons – it was assessable, it was pretty, it was easy to forge, etc. The other half of her wanted very much to laugh _and then_ beat the shit of him.

“Who cares?” she mouthed as she shook her head at him.

It was an exceedingly dumb rhetorical question, a self-inflicted wound. _He cared_ , of course and for her unthinking query, he would lecture until the Bothan in the Imperial Senate got word that one of his famous planetary constituents was being held without reason.

Likely due to the sudden wide-eyed look of panic and horror etched on her face, Thrawn spared her. He merely pursed his lips and turned his penetrating red stare back to the sculptor. “I believe there is a reason why Master Ralok’s artwork is being forged.”

“If my work is being forged then it is _I_ who am the wronged party. You have no reason to detain me. I demand to be set free!” The Bothan snapped.

Teela looked over at the Chiss. Perhaps this was his inept way of seeking an interview with the artist to gather further information on his artwork? She sighed heavily, envisioning another call from High Command scolding him for his unorthodox methodologies and failure to cater to social norms.

After five years, there wasn’t much more she could do about it. This was how he operated and Thrawn always had a reason.

“Unfortunately, your artwork is being forged as a means to smuggle illegal materials which are being sold on the black market to finance illegal activities within the Empire.”

“I am not aware of any such activity!” Ralok’s fur rippled violently – a sure sign he was angry or maybe nervous.

Zapheri’s eyes narrowed. “Yini ukuxhumana kwakhe?” **{What is his connection? – Sy Bisti}**

Thrawn cocked his head. _“I suspect he is forging his own art, making copies of his lesser known works.”_

_“You mean to tell me that the unnamed sculpture from Bimmisaari was one of_ his _fakes?”_ She gapped openly at Crem Ralok.

_“It was indeed.”_

Teela, having exhausted most of her repertoire of curse words in his presence after their recent planet-side venture, changed up her rotation and chose to swear in Omwatese. The Chiss however apparently understood, whether it was by her tone, her facial expression or just simply by context because he shot her a weathering look.

She ignored him. Of course. Meanwhile Ralok wasn’t at all pleased over their covert form of communication. Very few within the Empire knew how to speak Sy Bisti, after all.

“Manje? Uyakopela. Lokho kuhlangene ngani nomngani wakho?” **{So what? He cheats. What does that have to do with your friend? – Sy Bisti}**

The Commander paused as if considering his answer.

_“He is using the proceeds to finance his operation.”_ Thrawn smiled slightly. _“And Ralok knows.”_

Zapheri’s eyebrows rose in surprise. _“Ralok knows?”_ She hissed.

Apparently, the artist heard his name and was tired of waiting to be accused of something hence he began gripping, demanding to be set on his way. The Chiss however, had other plans. He turned crisply to the Bothan and arched an inquiring eyebrow.

“Master Ralok, you would not happen to have any of your art pieces aboard your ship?”

It just so happened that Master Ralok _did_ have several of his pieces on his ship.

Several of the _exact_ same sculpture.

After seeing massive success in his middle years, Ralok began to experience some hardship. He lived well beyond his means, was a frequent visitor at Canto Bight and developed a mild addition to intoxicants. His immediate solution was to stop new debt from accruing – he ceased his trips to the casino, stopped frivolously spending and limited his intake of wine. As helpful as that was in squelching the hemorrhagic flow of money, it did nothing for the debilitating losses he’d previously suffered. To make matters worse, some of his loans had been sold to some rather unscrupulous characters!

It was at some point during his financial struggle that the Bothan was approached by a mysterious enthusiast of his work about using some of his art to “transport” iridium and small amounts of doonium. But in lieu of creating new pieces and risk their destruction he could re-fabricate old ones en masse to hide tiny bits of precious metals so they would escape Imperial inspectors. They could be “sold” at auction or at collection houses at random points throughout the galaxy and no one would ever be the wiser. He would of course take a percentage of the proceeds and his benefactor would have an excellent means of smuggling the metals.

It was, in truth an inventive ruse capitalizing on the fact that expensive art pieces - or those appearing to be such - in the possession of the Imperial aristocracy – or those people flaunting themselves as members of the elite - were rarely subject to inspection on luxury transports. And as Zapheri had observed as a part of that society, if one traveled aboard a luxury transport, one wasn’t likely to ask how much the ticket cost.

Transported items such as exotic pets, foods, expensive art, and to a lesser extent contraband were never handled directly due to their tendency to be delicate and of a “personal nature” or more importantly due to the persnickety nature of their privileged owners. However, according to Ralok, in this particular case those possessing and transporting the art were grifters, excelling at conning the Imperials checking the passengers and their belongings into believing their pedigree, credentials and “highly expensive, very fragile artwork” didn’t deserve further scrutiny.

It was a sophisticated setup, not unlike Higher Skies, but with Ralok’s help it had become truly masterful. The iridium and doonium that was being transported was in the form of unrefined ore – material perfect for his sculptures.

It just so happened that Thrawn had intercepted Crem Ralok on his way to deliver his next shipment of ore-laden art to a drop point for his benefactor.

How fortunate…

“Do you know the identity of your benefactor?” The Chiss asked patiently. Teela was getting the distinct impression that if Thrawn were “normal” he’d be bouncing on his toes with anticipation.

“No.” The Bothan grumbled.

“Do you know where he was to take your – “ the Chiss actually frowned slightly. “art so that it could be distributed?”

“No.”

A set of red eyes turned to Ralok and scrutinized him silently as his mane seemed to bristle and darken in what Zapheri could only assume was annoyance or unease.

“But you suspect?” He urged.

“I do not know anything other than my contact was humanoid.” Crem snapped mulishly.

Thrawn still wasn’t convinced there wasn’t more information available in the form of Ralok because he started pacing in front of the Bothan, thoughtfully cupping his chin.

_Shit. This is the point when he starts talking about art –_

“I find it intriguing that you chose to replicate your earlier work.”

_Annnd here we go._

The Commander continued his musings “Very reminiscent of your years spent in study with Venthan Chassu.”

Teela’s eyes narrowed upon seeing Crem Ralok’s fur darken still further and shift with the Bothan’s sudden change in emotion. Despite his violet eyes remaining fixated on Thrawn, she was sure she caught the subtle tightening of the skin near his snout. Was it a micro-expression of fear for his former teacher? Could Nightswan have snared other artists into his plot?

As if he could sense she was on the verge of confusing herself with a thought experiment doomed to failure, the Chiss looked over at her. “Scholar Zapheri, Venthan Chassu hails from the Core, correct?”

“Yes. Corellia.”

He hummed in acknowledgement and shifted back to study Ralok.

She frowned. Thrawn knew exactly where Chassu was from! They had spent time at multiple museums on Coruscant while he was still at Royal Imperial. He had absorbed everything regarding core world art insisting, that it would help him understand those around him. Teela had been skeptical then. She had since learned the error in her thinking.

Thrawn had likely forgotten more about Chassu than she had ever learned!

_Why would you ask if - ?_

Oh.

She cleared her throat. “Corellia is an intriguing place. It produces a lot of interesting artwork.”

A wry smile from the Commander told her he approved.

“I personally liked flame miniatures.” She offered matter-of-factly awhile studying the Bothan. “Which artform do you prefer other than sculpts?”

Ralok’s eyes shifted from her to the Chiss and then back again. After a long pause during which time she doubted he’d even respond to her prompt, he finally spoke.

“Street art.” He murmured softly.

Zapheri bobbed her head in understanding. “I’ve heard street art has become a cultural phenomenon on certain parts of the planet. The next time I’m on Corellia, where would you recommend I go to see some of the best street art?”

The artist shifted slightly to cup his furry chin, his mane rippling with thought. “I would recommend Coronet City, Treasure Ship Row. The part of the district that has seen better days.”

“Better days.” She repeated, nodding slowly. “I shall do that the next time I’m on Corellia.”

“I suggest you go sooner rather than later.” Ralok griped. “Such art isn’t around forever.”

“Do you have a particular artist you prefer?” Teela asked softly. “Someone who takes commissions from an aficionado?”

This was the most important piece of information. If she could get the Bothan to open up about _any_ potential contact he had on Corellia then they’d might stand a chance of tracing the smuggling operation.

He glanced up at Thrawn, his violent eyes narrowing in obvious dislike and he sighed softly. “That would of course depend upon the enthusiast.”

“I’m a casual observer.” Zapheri tried to gently win back Crem’s attention and distract him from the Imperial standing over him.

Ralok’s fur continued to move gently back and forth, lightening slightly at the ends. After some deliberation with himself he grunted and shrugged. “I personally have heard Neru is very good. I think you would…get along with him.”

She smiled thinly. “Then I shall have to see Neru’s work as it comes recommended by a master artist.”

In the end the Commander of the Thunder Wasp let him leave but confiscated his “art.” Thrawn loathed to call it art despite it being based on a _real_ piece recreated by its original artist. It diminished a creation’s meaning by mass producing it and rendered art such as Crem Ralok’s ‘Demise of Flight’ utterly voiceless. This particular work by Ralok was meant to capture the Corellian spirit of adventure or rather the result of it being taken away and as the Chiss suspected, it was chosen by the Bothan (whether consciously or unconsciously, it didn’t matter) as an attractive means of transport to his potential buyers at auction.

If there was one thing Corellian’s prided themselves on it was in being Corellian – free, adventurous to the point of reckless, dedicated to a cause and loyal. Taking that away would speak to the average Corellian and render an emotional response and since the largest demand for such art was on Corellia, the artist was likely correct in anticipating a decent sum of money despite it being a forgery.

Thankfully Zapheri had understood perfectly his cues. Bothans were notoriously distrustful of the Empire and she, appearing to be another civilian – a kindred spirit - was the only life raft available to Ralok in an angry sea of Imperial scrutiny. She offered him an option to save face, to provide useful insight without formally notifying the Empire of any sort of plot and to subtly drop crumbs instead of betraying his co-conspirators. Manipulation was a common trait of Bothans and Crem Ralok was clearly impressed by Teela’s maneuvering and cleverness. She got all the information the Chiss commander needed to plan his next move.

But Thrawn had to wonder if the Bothan had perhaps manipulated them too…

_What exactly is his next move?_

She entered Thrawn’s office and promptly started to giggle. The Commander had found the first piece of his onboard collection. He kept the empty bottle of Turressessi in the corner of his small desk, insisting it was “art.”

He did have a point. It was a pretty bottle, but it was confoundingly annoying to walk into your boss’s office and burst into spasms of laughter due to your perfect recall of a usually deep subtle baritone becoming a tinny grating whine.

Teela nearly snorted upon seeing the Chiss send a derisive side-eye her way as she entered and sat across from him. “I suppose you view my decision to keep this – “ he gestured to the thing while keeping his skeptical gaze on her “ – as sentimental?”

She wrinkled her brow and grinned teasingly at him. “Oh, stop it, Thrawn. You and I both know you don’t feel such things.”

“I am glad we have an understanding.” He nodded once, but the corner of his lips curled up slightly.

“So, what is Crem Ralok up to?” 

“Unknown.” The Commander shrugged slightly, his shoulders moving fluidly under his uniform. “But it does not matter.”

Zapheri gave him a tired withering look so he continued.

“I only needed Ralok to determine the operation’s end point was on Corellia – “

“You’re welcome, by the way.” She interrupted his explanation to smile at him with faux sweetness.

“ – Now that the location and method of sale are known I only need insert myself into the scheme.”

Teela’s expression of interest dropped to one of shock. “You’re going to insert yourself _where_?”

He blinked and cocked his head. “I intend to infiltrate the group profiting from the illegal art sale in order to gain further knowledge of the group’s activities.”

Thrawn leaned back in his chair as he watched her storm out of his office. In reality, it was gratifying to see her this angry; this passionate; this _fearful_ over him potentially walking into danger – although he was discouraged over the language she’d used to describe her… _feelings_. Something about male sex organs getting chopped off…?

He frowned thoughtfully.

What if she was obsessing over _his_ male sex organs? Of course, she wouldn’t have been the only one. When she’d asked about where he’d be inserting himself, his over analytical mind had stuttered shamefully on perverse mental images involving them in various compromising positions.

The Chiss closed his eyes and shook his head.

_Too much time among humans clearly destroys one’s mental faculties_.

Or at least hypersexualizes them…

His plan had been simple and mimicked every other on-world undercover operation they’d ever gone on, yet still Zapheri erupted claiming he was taking too much of a risk, walking into a trap and being obsessive (to paraphrase).

“He is goading you!” She snapped. “Nightswan knows how you operate; he’s probably using this as a way to get to us!”

_Oh, if only she knew what he was really up to…_

Thrawn arched his eyebrow at her choice of pronoun. “Only _I_ will be going to Corellia.”

“Like hell you will!” Teela thundered.

“I am sure you are aware that Black Sun has a strong presence on Corellia.”

For a moment it appeared as if the woman would physically attack him. She slammed her hand down hard on the desk and rocketed to her feet from her seated position across from him. “Isilima esizicabangela ubugovu!” **{You stupid selfish asshole! – Sy Bisti}**

His eyes flashed warningly but she ignored him. _“After what happened with Vanya Grantar trying to shove a needle into you because Black Sun thinks you are not worth the effort to capture alive, how naive can you be, Thrawn?”_

The Commander glared up at her. _“I have no intension of even being seen.”_ He said coolly.

_“And how is that?”_ She asked scathingly. _“Your rich Pantoran ploy will not work in Coronet City! They can practically smell Imperials on Corellia!”_

_“Exactly.”_

Teela Zapheri had crept down to the armory after their sparring session during which time she had argued the case, once again, for why she should be allowed to go with him. He remained frustratingly non-committal.

She’d take matters into her own hands.

The Chiss had intruded on her time away from the ship on Bimmisari, she’d intrude on his, while on Corellia.

She was in the process of trying to find armor that fit - no small task since all the stormtroopers on the Thunder Wasp did not have breasts (or at least female breasts) – when he found her.

“I suspect – “ Teela gasped and slipped on a haphazardly discarded shin guard, landing awkwardly on her shoulder while trying to cover herself. “ – the small shoulder guards and large chest plate will provide the best fit.”

The ship’s commander was facing perpendicular to her, staring straight ahead, blankly at a wall; obviously aware of her preference for modesty – she was after all only in her undergarments.

“Thrawn!” She hissed. “What are you _doing_ here?”

His eyes narrowed and his face darkened slightly as he glanced her way, prompting her to wrap her arms around herself and press her knees together. Really her embarrassment was almost prudish, he’d seen her dressed in a revealing costume before. Still…

“My apologies, Zapheri. I thought I commanded this ship.” He muttered dryly.

She grunted. “ _Why_ are you here?”

“To make sure you find the correct armor.” He rolled his head back to stare at the ceiling in an expression of frustration that was strange for him.

“What made you change your mind?” Teela asked suspiciously.

“A lone stormtrooper is anomalous. Two performing a security sweep seems more plausible and I have already cleared it with Colonel Veers.”

## 6 Days Before…

**Imperial Garrison**

**Coronet City, Corellia**

“You must be mad!”

“No, Colonel.” The Chiss blinked. “I am quite sane.”

Maximilian Veers stared at the Commander and Thrawn was once again relieved that his aide-de-camp wasn’t present for this particular meeting as she likely would not have taken kindly to the Colonel’s tone.

“So you believe you can catch them off-guard?” He asked incredulously.

“I do.”

Veers sighed, “Your reputation precedes you – you and that of your attaché – “ he waved his hand, scowling.

“Teela Zapheri?” he offered, arching his brow.

“Yes, Zapheri.” He nodded. “You both have made a name for yourselves as quite the criminal catching duo.”

Thrawn remained silent as the Colonel scrutinized him. Finally Veers nodded once, coming to a decision, “Alright Commander, I believe we can work together without issue, but I must request your expertise in another matter.”

The Chiss cocked his head in question.

“Treasure Ship Row has been plagued by a serial killer for well over a year.” The man lowered his voice grimly. “It became a higher priority level when he started going after stormtroopers. And just last week he got a Lieutenant Commander. We’ve requested ISB support, but it’s fallen on deaf ears.”

“And you believe I would be able to assist in your investigation?”

“I think you’d be perfect.” Veers nodded slowly. “The locals call him ‘the artist’.”

Teela made a sound of disgust. “It smells terrible in this thing, like the previous owner lived in it.”

“I am aware.” Thrawn’s voice was bland even filtered over the stormtroopers comm. “And he likely did.”

Her helmeted head turned to her comrade. “Yours smells bad too?” she asked, her tone empathetic.

“Not at all.” The Chiss shrugged, his broad shoulders moving awkwardly under the bulbous armor. “I had mine cleaned and disinfected.”

The expressionlessness of stormtrooper attire did nothing to hide her anger. “You didn’t think to disinfect mine?”

The Commander shrugged again.

“I hate it when you’re like this.” Zapheri growled at him.

They were on the streets of Coronet City on patrol and she had not gotten used to people scurrying away from them and their desperation not to attract the attention of the two stormtroopers traversing the market. Whenever she glanced around, people that happened to be looking her way quickly averted their eyes. Initially Teela thought it was because she and her fellow guard looked like something straight out of a holo-comedy; she, overly short and he, overly tall, but it wasn’t the expression of disguised mirth. It was fear. 

_“What is going on here?”_ She whispered in Sy Bisti.

_“I do not know.”_ Thrawn’s response was slow and thoughtful. _“But it is clear they do not look at the Empire with a favorable eye.”_

_“Maybe just stormtroopers?”_ She offered.

_“Perhaps.”_ He mused. _“Or outsiders in general.”_

They made their way through Treasure Ship Row to the less reputable portion of the district as Ralok had suggested. They were due east and only thirty minutes out from the Imperial garrison and it was obvious stormtroopers weren’t a common fixture in this part of the city. They started to attract attention; there were stares and whispers, several people pointed and commented loudly on their presence.

“Well, this is a fun study in extremes.” Teela murmured.

“Indeed.” Her companion agreed solemnly and motioned for her to follow him toward a dark and much less populated side street.

“What are we looking for?” She asked hesitantly inspecting the dark colors of the cobblestone street and the red, brown and black hues on the side of a nearby building.

“This.” Thrawn nodded pensively at the graffitied designs circling around a door at the side of the building in dizzying patterns.

She hummed. “Street art.”

“Street art.” He agreed.

They absently approached the building – a pub called the Nude Selonian, marveling at the work. Thrawn especially seemed lost to his surroundings until abruptly the door opened and a male Twi’lek stepped out. “What you Imps want now?”

Zapheri was the first to respond, “We want to talk to Neru.”

The alien’s left lek twitched. “And who said Neru was here?”

“Crem Ralok.”

The Twi’lek crossed his arms over his chest and looked between the two stormtroopers. “You the representation or just the muscle?”

“We are here to ensure this is not some elaborate scheme meant to entrap.” The Chiss replied smoothly.

He seemed to consider that for a moment, his eyes narrowed at them, his lekku thrashing around in agitation. Finally, he hissed a curse. “Fine. Bring your rich Imperial aristocrat or whoever it is, to the auction. He won’t win the slim off a Hutt’s ass with who’s showing up tonight.”

Teela stepped forward and lowered her voice, imitating as best she could a garbled gruff male voice. “Oh? And who is showing up tonight?”

Thankfully the helmet’s comm helped with the effort.

“That’s not your business, bucket head.”

She stepped forward, threateningly as she’d often seen the stormtroopers do on Ansion base – when they felt compelled to beat their chests in some random display of machoism. The Twi’lek however wasn’t impressed and smirked.

“A little short for a stormtrooper aren’t you?”

Teela made a rude gesture with one hand which prompted him to hiss and move toward her.

“How do we know this is not some attempt to blackmail a respectable Imperial dignitary?” Thrawn interrupted, deescalating the tension by subtly placing himself in the other’s path.

The Twi’lek door warden rolled his eyes, “Neru is the door code, the auction is tonight. Tell your _dignitary_ – “ he sneered at the word and glared at the shorter of the two stormtroopers. “ – to dress appropriately and prepare to drop some cred.”

As they headed back to the Imperial base, she pondered the next step. Thrawn would of course want to get as close as possible, see who the players were, how the money was being exchanged and of course if the scheme involved smuggling metals in different forms, the type and quantity. If Nightswan was a perpetrator in the plot - the Commander had apparently caught his scent on this conspiracy, so the chances were high that he was - it would most likely be doonium and iridium. Perhaps, the man himself would be there!

A feeling of unease made Teela’s stomach lurch.

As if the Chiss would read her thoughts, Thrawn murmured and shook his head gently. _“You do not need to go with me to the auction tonight.”_

She snorted.

_“Idiot.”_

“I beg your pardon?”

“I called you an ‘idiot’.” She glanced up at him as they continued to make their way through Treasure Ship Row – the less ugly part.

He remained silent but his ire was almost palpable. “ _I cannot let you go in there without me but I also cannot go in there as your –_ “ Zapheri clicked her tongue looking for the most diplomatic word or phrase in Sy Bisti; the sound making a strange hiss over the helmet’s comm. “ _– prostitute or dancer._ ”

“Kungani kungenjalo? Unekhono kukho kokubili.” **{Why not? You are skilled at both. – Sy Bisti}**

Teela suddenly stopped her forward motion and slowly turned to him. “Please don’t ever compliment me ever again. Please?”

Even with the stormtrooper helmet she could see Thrawn’s confusion, could practically _hear_ his eyebrows quirk up in bewilderment. “I do not understand.”

She sighed and absently tried to rub the headache from her temples as she started to walk again but unfortunately the damn helmet was in the way.

_No wonder stormtroopers can’t hit the underside of a Star Destroyer. This armor is miserable!_

_“Never mind I am joking – a little.”_

Thrawn cocked his head at her but his body language provided nothing informative on his thoughts.

_“But I am tired of wearing the skin-tight, barely-there outfits. Just once, why do you not go as the eye-catching piece of meat.”_

This time it was the Commander that abruptly stopped his forward motion. _“Piece of meat?”_

_“Someone that will distract due to their looks or position relative to the person standing next to them.”_ Teela sighed.

_“Like a prostitute or dancer?”_

She paused. _“Yes.”_

There was a very welcome silence during which a patrol speeder happened by returning from a recon of the northern portion of Coronet. It was a perfect opportunity for them to save time on their travel back to the base, so they of course climbed aboard.

Her feet hurt, her chest hurt, her thighs hurt, her head hurt. Even her ass hurt. Stormtrooper armor was not made for women and it wasn’t made for sitting in, at least the set she was wearing. The fifteen minutes of sitting in armor with absolutely no padding felt like ramming a hydrospanner into each buttock while the edge of the plate dug into the small of her back leaving her hunched over, groaning.

“I see you forgot to replace the protective coating in your armor.” Thrawn observed mildly as he waited for her to hobble after him.

“I truly hate you with every fiber of my – “ Teela tried to stand up straighter and cringed. “ – being.”

He pulled his helmet off and arched a questioning eyebrow at her.

“Let me guess - you replaced yours but didn’t replace mine?” She growled.

“No.”

Her face fell and her eyes automatically drifted down to his backside and groin. She blinked and shook her head as if realizing where her gaze had landed and stammered out an apology. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were hurting too.”

“I am unharmed.”

Zapheri suddenly stopped trying to discreetly massage her aggrieved body parts and glared at him with narrowed eyes. “Why not? You were walking and sitting just as long as I was in that damn speeder!” She shrieked.

_Of course, he doesn’t have breasts and the thighs and hips to support bearing children, but still…_

“I was. However, the protective padding was previously replaced on my armor before I donned it and therefore I did not need to – “

“Uyinhlungu embongolweni yami!” She snapped and limped toward the base’s infirmary. **{You are a pain in my ass! – Sy Bisti}**

The Commander considered pointing out that it had been the armor that had hurt her backside and not him, but he wisely kept the thought to himself.

## Back on the Thunder Wasp.

Teela absently shifted in her seat, remembering the aches and pains that lasted long after the events of that day. The Colonel, having a well-trained eye noticed her apparent discomfort and his eyes narrowed with skepticism

She made a face and hummed in agreement. “Yeah, don’t tell Cal I just sat around. He won’t believe that for a moment.”

Yularen snorted and rolled his eyes but before he could prompt her for some other fodder to feed her uncle she opted to fall on her sword.

“You can tell him I met some new people?” she offered hesitantly.

“What kind of new people?” The old man asked suspiciously.

The Colonel knew, given the various attempts from Black Sun at kidnapping meeting new people could prove dangerous, perhaps deadly.

“I met an artist and a couple criminals.”

“I am not entirely surprised you would meet either of those in your line of work.” Yularen arched an eyebrow at her. “Smuggler’s I assume?”

Teela shifted slightly in her seat and her face contorted in distaste. “Something like that.”

“And Thrawn used the artist’s work to foil the plot?”

“It’s as if you’ve heard of our routine, Wullf.” She forced herself to grin in faux amusement.

_Awk-ward._

He chuckled softly. “So, it would seem. For both our sakes I won’t tell Cal about the criminals, although I’m sure he knows you and Thrawn aren’t dealing with planetary royalty.”

She chuckled “Well…actually.”

“Yes?”

“No.” She smiled shaking her head in agreement. “Don’t tell Cal about the criminals but you can tell him I did meet a ground assault command officer who’s very talented and – “ she raised a finger grinning confidently. “I was introduced to a Princess.”

_This can either go very well or…_

“You did what, now?” Wullf looked mildly alarmed.

_Not._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and Happy New Year!
> 
> Yes, I've been MIA. I'm not really sure I'm all together back - I'm back like a dead body floats up to the surface of the river.
> 
> I do love my job but I'm turning into the quintessential workaholic. I still write but I can't pop out a chapter every week or couple of days and it takes me forever to come up with any kind of "plot" not that there is any plot to begin with. I therefore feel compelled to finish something before posting it instead of flinging it out there and then find it to be riddled with plot holes after having an epiphany upon getting a full nights sleep. 
> 
> You won't be hearing much from me until I get the things done BUT...I've got two more stupid things in the works and another one rattling around in my brain. I'm hoping it will be within the next month...
> 
> This monstrosity is done. And I'm sorry.   
> I'm editing it now. (I wrote some of it in late October so...consider that when you read parts of it.) *beats head against keyboard*
> 
> To those who continue to read my silliness:   
> 1) WHYYY?   
> 2) I believe there is a belief system in which if you suffer in this life, you'll be rewarded in the next.  
> 3) you're just a good human being  
> 4) Thank you
> 
> I appreciate you reading! You're all wonderful!  
> Happy New Year. Stay safe.  
> -N!  
> P.S. I'll post the next chapter after I edit this nonsense...


	5. About Infiltrating, Socializing and Toasting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Slavery, crime and criminals being...assholes.
> 
> Translations: In text
> 
> In This Chapter:  
> Thrawn's real reason...  
> The Priestess and her companion  
> Piece of meat  
> The hunt leads to a hunter  
> Partnership - everyone drinks.  
> Pick your poison.  
> Vibroblade  
> Know any good ground assault commanders?

## 6 Days Before…

**Corellia, Coronet City**

**The Nude Selonian Pub**

As soon as they walked into the bar, Thrawn knew they were in trouble. If he wasn’t certain he’d lose the chance to get the information he’d been searching for, he’d have told her to feign illness and walk out.

But he was close.

Close to finding out who Stratna _really_ was. And he suspected the Black Sun operative or someone close to him had been uncomfortably close to them at one point – perhaps to the point where he or Zapheri would recognize him.

Teela of course believed he was in dogged pursuit of Nightswan, and there had been some overlap between his obsession with his shadowy nemesis and the clear and present threat Stratna posed to him and the woman he cared for, but the two paths diverged after their initial intelligence gathering at Pirin. 

Both puzzles suddenly collapsed back toward each other upon his review of several after-action ISB reports in which an independent mining company – a rarity in the Empire, nowadays – was censured by the Mining Guild for price gouging, prompting the pro-Imperial planetary government to take control of the operation.

It looked suspiciously similar to Nightswan’s tactics used at Umbara albeit quiet and smaller in scale. It would have been an interesting data point and nothing more alarming had it not been for the insignificant fact that the mining company’s owner had to liquify assets to afford her defense. That included, as a show of good will to the Courts, the forfeiture of a piece of art which had once been owned by Alexi Garyn, the previous head of Black Sun.

The piece was an unnamed sculpture and had posed a bit of a mystery over several years as no artist had claimed it as his or her work. It was widely regarded as beautiful and intriguing which of course prompted multiple opinions on its origin – some based on a modicum of knowledge; some, not so much. As its source was still a mystery, the Galactic Arts Association thought it best to place it on a world widely regarded as “artistically bland,” a phrase Thrawn despised. He was, however, not averse to the Association loaning the piece to the Bimmisaari Museum of Art.

It was Colonel Yularen’s communique requesting his insight into the activities of an art thief, Ven Karr, employed by members of Black Sun to “procure” rare works for them, that prompted him to investigate further. Yularen knew of his affinity for art and suspected he would be able to offer an opinion on the Neimoidian’s dealings – and so he was. Karr’s business transactions also hinted at a side deal; something other than just art sales as well as a consistent link to someone high up in the criminal enterprise.

He had to admit it was unlikely that the being known as Stratna would come to Corellia himself – the criminal leader was thoroughly entrenched on Coruscant, but it was entirely possible his arm of Black Sun would send a representative to the auction. However, the Commander had vowed, if he _were_ so fortunate to meet the Black Sun Lieutenant face-to-face during their time in Coronet City, he would kill him without a second thought. The criminal conspirator was much too dangerous to Zapheri to be left alive, _especially_ if they were hypothetically in the same room together.

The Black Sun representation that did come, appeared to be mostly bureaucrats within the hierarchy – they were low-level aides and legal representatives for the worst gangsters in the galaxy. That wasn’t to say they weren’t dangerous or criminals themselves. Even the syndicate’s aides and lawyers bore the mark of Black Sun. They would fight and die like starving meeks if/when called upon and they had no qualms about killing. They were just as well-armed as any other member of the enterprise and some even doubled as bodyguards for Vigos and seconds.

As Thrawn listened to Zapheri banter with the Twi’lek guard, he assessed the room, thankful once again that he insisted his aide wear the voluminous embroidered skirts and veil of a Firnili priestess from Corulag. The Firnil were notoriously corrupt and the presence of one of their sect members would hardly be considered abnormal at an auction selling counterfeit art and stolen or smuggled goods. 

The bowl-shaped helmet with the polarized face shield he wore provided him anonymity and gave those around them the incorrect impression he was unable to see. To further support the notion, Teela led him around loosely by a chain attached to a shock collar, he shuffled around subserviently to keep up the charade.

Unfortunately, he was not the only one.

Several other attendees had servants or slaves in various states of bondage, some in an overtly sexual nature and Thrawn could see Zapheri’s discomfort and anger and their mistreatment. She’d been horrified and distraught over his chosen disguise, spending a disproportionate amount of time on their travel to the pub trying to dissuade him from entering, but in the end, he offered the ultimatum: accept the situation or stay behind.

“Is it real?” She had asked shakily pointing to the shock collar before they left the base.

“It is.” He’d nodded once.

Her face had contorted with hurt and disgust

“Why?” She gasped, looking up at him in disbelief. “ _Why_ would you risk that?”

“Because our cover must be convincing and if I am caught you must be provided a means to ensure I am punished as an indentured servant or slave would be.” Thrawn’s matter-of-fact explanation made her even angrier.

“I won’t do it!” Zapheri snapped.

His red gaze shifted to bore into her brown eyes– the only part of her face he could see clearly. “You will. You will have to.”

“No!” She shook her head obstinately when he handed her the chain with an imbedded control system for the torture mechanism. “You’ll just have to be good and not get caught.”

The Commander’s lip had tilted up in a slight smile and he nodded his silent agreement. The controls were imbedded in the chain nonetheless… And now he followed her, led around be that very chain, ready to do her bidding – whatever that might be – but he watched her reaction to the scene.

Teela was equal parts livid and on the verge of helpless tears.

_“I understand you are upset but be cautious of your feelings.”_ Thrawn murmured gently in Sy Bisti.

_“Did you know?”_ She hissed, dabbing at her eyes when they weren’t likely to be observed by other potential bidders. _“You were so certain Nightswan was not involved with Black Sun and now we are swimming in people who want us both dead!”_

_“I am still certain Nightswan is not involved with Black Sun.”_

_“Excuse me?”_ She blinked and her lips pursed in a mixture of irritation and confusion.

_“I am not here for Nightswan.”_

Teela blanched. _“Stratna.”_ She whispered. _“You are trying to find Stratna.”_

The Chiss nodded, his head moving slowly underneath his awkward looking helmet, as he tried not to make the chain connecting them rattle. _“Or his second.”_

She exhaled in a huff; it was an sound humans made when they were emotional. _“Why didn’t you tell me?”_

Yes, why didn’t he tell her?

_“I am responsible for keeping you safe.”_

She arched an eyebrow dubiously. _“And you are doing a marvelous job. You cannot even keep yourself safe!”_ Her eyes moved to the slave collar around his neck and then to the mechanism controlling the thing attached to the chain she held loosely.

He ignored the jab. _“Black Sun has interest in you because of what you know.”_

Teela stiffened.

She had suspected Thrawn felt some level of guilt over the way her life had been upended because of him. The advent of a criminal organization finding out she had an eidetic memory and had been privy to maps of new hyperspace routes into the Unknown Regions was unfortunate, yes. But if it hadn’t happened, something else similar to it would have at some point, with or without Thrawn by her side.

_“They are interested in you too. We are in this together. I can help you.”_

_“And so you are.”_ He nodded once, clearly studying her through his polarized face shield.

“What do you say – “ She smiled up at him. “ – we go make some new friends?”

“I must confess I am disadvantaged.” The Pau’an murmured lowly. “I most certainly would have remembered a beauty such as you if I had met you once before.”

Teela allowed herself a teasing smile, it was hidden behind the veil, but it made her eyes sparkle seductively. “I am sure you would have.” She commented dryly.

He grinned with sharp teeth as she extended her hand. He took it and kissed the back of her knuckles while gazing at her, his black eyes dancing playfully. “Third Priestess Batas of Firnil, Temple Corulag.” Teela nodded appeased by his groveling. “And you are…?”

“I am your host this evening, my Lady.” He stood up straighter and smiled at her again. “I am Neru.”

“I am happy to make your acquaintance.” She executed a perfectly acceptable curtsy in the style of a Coruscanti noble.

“Tell me, Priestess, what brings you here from Corulag?”

Teela cocked her head and let her eyes sparkle with her mischievous chuckle. “Should we not discuss business first, then pleasure, Neru?”

The Pau’an laughed heartily and gently guided her to a plush couch without taking so much as a second look at the clumsy being she pulled along like a pet.

As Zapheri sat, her host continued to chat idly of various sites of interest on the planet and of the marvelous art in Treasure Ship Row. She applied the appropriate mix of courteousness and cool detachment that was proper for someone of her station until Neru circled back around to the matter at hand.

“Now, Lady Batas, will you be buying or – “ The tall alien’s eyes lips twitched in what she could only assume was amusement as he looked pointedly at Thrawn. “- selling tonight?”

Teela was thankful the veil covered most of her face as she was certain her shock and disgust would have been apparent. “I’m a woman, wanting to keep my options open.”

She immediately regretted the harsh tone, but she did need the opening to the conversation…

“Although - ” The Third Priestess of Firnil, Temple Corulag cocked her head thoughtfully.

Neru seemed to lean forward suspended on her word.

“ – I would _personally_ appreciate any information regarding a friend of mine.”

“Oh? Might I ask the nature of your _relationship_?” The Pau’an once again flashed his unnerving teeth in a devilish smile and Zapheri decided to use her apparent advantage.

She stepped forward. “Tell me first, Neru, are you familiar with the Firnili Sect?”

Something dangerous flashed in his eyes. “Oh, I am _very_ acquainted. My previous lover practiced at Firnil Temple Corellia.”

Zapheri’s heart leapt uncomfortably in her chest but she kept her countenance of seduction and intrigue in place. Unfortunately, she couldn’t do anything about the blush, and she heard Thrawn shift behind her.

The Firnili weren’t so much a religious group as they were a cult of people that believed in extorting innocent beings for money and sex. They hid behind a pseudo religion based on empowering themselves at the expense of others and according to recent intel from the Imperial Security Bureau, the group was heavily involved in underworld ventures including smuggling, theft, blackmail and even slavery. Rumors about the sect were rampant and the members didn’t see fit to correct or dissuade such gossip or characterize it as misinformation. Some of the more salacious stories had actually been confirmed by reformed Firnili – animal sacrifices and taboo sexual practices were among those that had turned heads _and_ stomachs.

Teela swallowed hard and pressed herself up against Neru, running a suggestive hand along his chest. “Well, rest assured my friend does not benefit from my – “ She forced herself to move her gaze from his chest to his face, meeting his hungry stare. “ – _special_ attention.”

“I am very relieved to hear it.” The Pau’an smiled again. “So tell me, my Priestess, who is this friend of yours?”

“Stratna.”

He nodded but there was no change in his expression. “I believe I have heard the name before. I will ask around.”

“Discreetly, if you would, Neru.”

“Of course.” He smirked at her. “There are appropriate accommodations here for –“ his dark eyes moved down along the lines of her figure. “ – when you wish to _worship_.”

Teela tried to smile but couldn’t quite manage it. Fortunately, she _did_ manage to thank him without her voice cracking as he sauntered off.

How did she end up being the piece of meat, again?

_After this I’m going to gargle with Corellian whiskey and bathe in Imperial-strength durasteel cleaner._

“Angikuthandi lokhu.” **{I do not like this. – Sy Bisti}**

He inhaled deeply and scanned the room from behind his face shield. Scantily clad male and female servants walked the room submissively serving beverages as most of the attendees had assembled to view the items up for auction and to socialize. Those “items” included everything from art, and antiquities to spice and a Twi’lek slave.

_“I believe it would be useful to talk to as many people as possible before we make our exit. As distasteful as it may be -”_ He lowered his voice to a soothing timbre _“- you should buy something other than information to show your importance and no matter what, do not separate from me.”_

Thrawn neglected to add the whole place stank of pheromones and he didn’t like how her alias as a Firnili Priestess came with the presumption she’d be keen to have sexual relations with any sentient being willing to offer themselves up to her.

And he really _really_ did not like Neru.

The host of the event was an artist but not of any art form he cared to study. The sooner he got Teela - the current object of Neru’s desire - away from the Pau’an, the better off they’d be.

Zapheri turned slightly to look up at him from her peripheral vision, her face pinched with worry, but she nodded minutely and stood, pulling on the chain tethering him to her.

“Come along, Hathi.” She called haughtily.

The Chiss resisted the urge to shake his head, once again, over the name she insisted on giving his cover. Hathi was slang in Sy Bisti for “annoying employer” and was Teela’s way of being ironic.

She made her way into a small circle of people pulling Thrawn, albeit gently, with her. An alien was speaking boisterously, provoking amused smiles and laughs from the group surrounding him. Zapheri didn’t recognize his species although she suspected he was a hybrid with a heritage that included a mixture of humans and non-humans.

“ – quite the artist with a vibroblade.” The mottled skin being grinned with pointed teeth.

This elicited another wave of merriment from the beings surrounding him.

“I got him to talk!” He guffawed, joining in with the crowd.

She absently moved the chain connected to Thrawn’s collar as if to comfort herself with the knowledge that he was near. She wasn’t alone here in a room full of Black Sun criminals who, if they happened to find out her identity would try to either kill her or capture her so they could just kill her later – likely after torture.

As if he could smell her fear, see it in her eyes or read her thoughts, the purple hybrid’s multi-colored eyes zeroed in on her. “Well, what is a Firnili sex toy doing here?” He asked silkily. “Come for business or pleasure?”

She stilled herself and ignored the restrained twitch from the Chiss standing next to her. “Is there a difference?”

The alien grinned. Neru abruptly stepped forward and whispered something in his ear which caused his eyes to narrow. His gaze moved back to her and he smirked. “I understand you are looking for Stratna.”

“I am looking for _information_ on Stratna.”

“Information is expensive.” He purred as he stepped closer.

Teela snorted. “Nothing is free.”

He scrutinized her for a moment and then smiled thinly. “I am Zekka Thyne.”

She clenched her fist involuntarily. Thrawn always insisted that in order to defeat an enemy you had to understand them; to know them.

Zapheri had spent hours studying what was known of the multiple appendages of Black Sun, how far the criminal enterprise had spread, and what information the ISB had on each of its Lieutenants. They had more than enough on Zekka Thyne to paint a terrifying picture of a man who was viciously ruthless, and he was as vulgarly unpolished as his Coruscanti counterpart, Stratna was delicate and discreet.

“Third Priestess Batas of Firnil, Temple Corulag.” Teela curtsied to hide her unease.

Thyne hairless head bobbed. “Allow me to get you a drink – “ he grinned at her, his strange eyes focusing on her veil. “ – then we will talk.”

“Why don’t we adjourn to someplace more private for our discussion?” She saw the spotted skin of his arm reach around her and she flinched. “There are private rooms in the back and I assure you - ” he grinned evilly at her. “ – they have sufficient amenities.”

“Very well.” She nodded stiffly and began pulling at Thrawn’s chain, he responded instantly of course, but Thyne’s eyes narrowed in obvious annoyance.

“Leave your slave.” He waved the hand not wrapped around her waist absently in the direction of the disguised Commander.

Teela smiled thinly and turned slowly to the Black Sun Lieutenant letting the expression show in her eyes. “I will be taking Hathi. He is much too gullible to be left alone unattended and I will not be duped out of a perfectly good attendant.”

The hybrid’s nostrils flared with sudden anger. “There are already attendants available to you and – “ He lowered his voice. “ – whatever they are lacking I can have provided to you.”

She arched her brow and was on the verge of giving the criminal a verbal slap, regardless of Thyne’s waning temper, when Neru stepped in.

“Come! Come!” He chuckled nervously as his eyes darted between them.

The Pau’an gestured to Thyne. “I will lead you and your retinue as well as the Priestess and her – “ he glanced at the slave standing quietly behind Teela “ – _companion_ to the room. I’m sure you _all_ will have much to discuss.”

The host’s words apparently conveyed some sort of unspoken meaning to the criminal because he seemed to calm. “That is acceptable. I trust a friend of Stratna to have good judgement.”

Zapheri released a breath she didn’t even realize she’d been holding and Thrawn shifted enough to cause the chain to rattle - his subtle prompt for her to move. She followed Neru but noticed Thyne falling behind. “I will be there shortly.” He grumbled.

The Priestess nodded but heard him begin to speak, soft and urgent to one of the others. She glanced over at Thrawn and could almost see the red glow of his eyes.

_“What do we do, Hathi?”_

“Pardon?” Neru turned around with mild curiosity.

She shook her head. “I was telling my attendant to keep pace with me.”

“If he has difficulty with that, there are many here willing to accommodate you.”

“I am very fatigued, and I wish to finish my business here soon so that I might rest.” Teela feigned an ache in her shoulder and a stifled yawn under her veil. “My trip from Corulag was very trying and I have business to conduct tomorrow.”

“Will you not be staying for the auction?” He sounded disappointed but his long fingers twitched on the controls when he keyed the door to open.

So taken aback was she over the extravagance of the meeting room, she didn’t respond to his query. Teela found a seat at the table facing the door as Thrawn settled in behind her. She watched as a Twi’lek woman brought her a drink from a fully stocked wet bar in the darkened corner of the room and waited for Thyne to join them.

_“Do not drink that.”_ The Chiss hissed warningly from behind her.

She pursed her lips to hide a tight smile. _“I had no intention. Do you want it?”_

He grunted but any further response was drowned out by Zekka Thyne’s entrance and that of his cronies. The criminal leader was flanked by two rough looking humans – both proudly displaying their Black Sun tattoos. They took up a standard sentinel position behind their boss after he seated himself across from her and casually – or as casually as one could manage – let their hands rest on top of their holstered blasters.

“I see you’ve brought your bodyguards to protect you against a vicious Firnili Priestess – a truly dangerous creature to be sure.” Teela teased dryly.

Thyne sneered at her. “I’ve had my share of ‘Nilis and you’re all the same. You sheet like whores and steal like Neimoidians.”

“Unfortunately for you, I’m only here for information about an old friend.”

“Ah yes.” Thyne snorted. “Stratna.”

Zapheri nodded once.

A long silence followed as they stared at each other. She kept the two humans in view, waiting for them to make the move toward their blasters but it never came.

The Black Sun Lieutenant finally sighed. “I will tell you what I know but first – “ he motioned for one of the Twi’lek women to bring drinks. “ – a drink! All good partnerships start with a drink!”

_Partnership?_

One woman moved carefully to Thyne’s side bringing him an opaque mug. “Ohk cea y qa do ikao?” **{Is this what I ordered – Twi’leki}**

“Ka, Sihse.” She whispered. **{Yes, Master – Twi’lek}**

Another woman presented Zapheri with another glass of what appeared to be the same type of drink she’d been given before. The Priestess waved her away, “No. The drink I have is acceptable.”

The crime boss shook his head. “No, you will drink that one – “ he motioned to the concoction she was being offered. “ – it is good for your skin.”

_Why so insistent?_

The two men behind him laughed heartily at the joke and she placed the drink down in front of her next to the other. Abruptly the Twi’lek girl fell over on her hasty trek back to the shadows near the bar.

_A diversion._

Her peripheral vision caught Thrawn’s hand moving the drinks and her heart leapt. He risked tripping the woman as a distraction, allowing him a brief opportunity to switch the drinks. Teela could only conceive of one reason why the Chiss would choose to take such a gamble: he’d seen something – some change in Thyne or tell that led him to think the new concoction presented to her was tainted.

“Ushevu noma isidakamizwa?” **{Poison or drug? – Sy Bisti}** She asked, disguising her tone as if the utterance was a curse or an expression of disgust.

“Akwaziwa.” **{Unknown – Sy Bisti.}**

Thankfully his quick sleight of hand paid off – or so it seemed - and the Twi’lek slave was only berated for being clumsy and of low intelligence. Zapheri struggled to hold her tongue and wrapped her trembling hand firmly around the glass in front of her to stop it from shaking.

“ A toast to our newfound partnership?” Teela blinked away her anger and looked up at Thyne.

“Yes.”

She raised her glass but her new “partner” frowned, and his multi-colored eyes narrowed.

“Your slave is not drinking?” He motioned with his chin to the other glass next to her and his gaze fixated on the bowl of Thrawn’s helmeted head.

It was then she noticed everyone – the two men behind him, the scantily clad slaves, even the bartender in the darkened corner of the room – had a glass raised in salute.

Zapheri swallowed hard. “I do not wish my attendant to drink.”

“Everyone drinks, Priestess. Black Sun is order. Everyone commits to the order.” Thyne’s grin made his pointed ears seem to perk up as if he were some sort of hunting predator, listening for prey. “Zeke and Drang – “ he motioned to the two men behind him, then to the two female slaves and the bartender. “ – Nala, Gia and Toa. Everyone. Your slave will appreciate you more, I am sure if you allow him to partake.”

“Do not tell me what to do with my own property – “

Before she could get herself shot and him too, Thrawn picked up the glass – the one he saw the woman put the powder into. “I would like to try it with your permission, Mistress.” He whispered.

The Commander was not stupid, he realized he had just given away several tactical advantages but Teela Zapheri was walking into danger and doing it quickly. Zekka Thyne was nothing like Venix or Stratna, he would not toy with her or try to keep her alive long enough to be used later. No, he would not hesitate to kill her regardless of Black Sun’s interest in her. The fact that he was trying to be subtle by poisoning or drugging her boded a little better for her survivability but still not well. And as for him…

Any Imperial who walked in the door was marked for death just on principle alone. He might live a fraction of a second longer because he didn’t quite fit the mold of the average Imperial Officer. Regardless, he would use that time wisely.

They now knew he could see he was not blinded by the disguise he wore and could therefore offer them resistance. The element of surprise was eliminated, and they likely suspected he had traded drinks with Zapheri. Hypothetically, the drug or poison was tailored for her biology which would be fortuitous given Chiss males could metabolize toxins far more swiftly than human females.

She turned to him, her eyes searching helplessly for his.

_“No. I do not want you to do this.”_ She hissed at him, trying not to let her pleading tone carry across the room to the others who were no doubt, observing them.

_“It will be alright.”_ He said gently as he moved his face shield up away from his mouth, but not enough to reveal his eyes.

Teela finally nodded once and slowly turned back around to glare at Zekka Thyne.

The hybrid grinned again, a truly evil expression of glee. “To our new partnership!”

And with arms extended, glasses raised and a murmur of agreement throughout the room, everyone drank. One of the humans – either Zeke or Drang - drank the whole glass down in one gulp and went immediately to the bar to get more or something different. One of the slaves sipped at hers, savoring it like she’d never tasted anything so sweet and wasn’t likely to again. Thyne rolled his around lazily while he studied Zapheri and her attendant.

After five minutes of silence listening to the humans cajole each other about how much each was capable of drinking, occasionally egged on by their employer, Teela glanced over at Thrawn.

“Ngabe uzizwa kanjani?” **{Are you alright? – Sy Bisti}**

“Anginakhanda Ngaphandle kwalokho ngiyaphila.” He made no attempt to keep his voice lowered which startled her and she turned to him to chastise him. “Unjani?” **{I am light-headed. Otherwise, I am fine.} (How are you?}**

_“We can discuss that later.”_ She frowned.

_“No, I want to now.”_ He insisted.

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. _“W-What are you talking about?”_ She hissed.

_What in Nine Hells did he just drink?_

“Ngifuna. Ukwazi Kanjani. Uzizwe?” **{I want. To know. How. You feel? – Sy Bisti}**

_“Nauseated if you must know – “_

He snorted. _“You mispronounced ‘nauseated’.”_

_“ – and just how much of that did you drink?”_

_“It tasted terrible at first but then…”_ The Commander cocked his head causing the helmet to teeter awkwardly as he hummed. _“It improved upon further consumption.”_

_“What do you think it was?”_

He shrugged exaggeratedly. “Ravri’ihah rah Ch’ah rsah!” **{Fuck if I know! - Cheunh}** He made a disgusted noise and shook his head. “Vah cart ch’a csasor en’kta ror ch’ah, Zapheri.” **{You are a terrible influence on me, Zapheri. – Cheunh}**

Teela stared bewilderedly at him for a moment longer and shook her head. Historically he only used his native language when he was feeling some strong emotion and she reasoned that if he was in her presence, that strong emotion was anger. Usually _because_ of something she did.

They either needed to get the hell out of here or they needed some place to rest long enough for him to get the drug out of his system. And based on his physiology that shouldn’t talk too long.

_Maybe that’s what he said in Cheunh?_

_...In slurred Cheunh..._

She sighed and looked up to see Thyne studying her. His lip twitched in a sneer and a quick motion prompted the two thugs, who had just moments prior seemed nearly intoxicated, to stand at attention. The Twi’lek slaves and bartender were trying to inconspicuously fade away to the far corner of the room and all eyes were keenly alert and focused on her and Thrawn.

“Now, that you are well rested, I would like to discuss our terms and conditions.” The hybrid stood and Zapheri subconsciously cringed. “I understand you wish to know about Stratna?”

“I do.” She nodded firmly.

The Black Sun Lieutenant nodded as he slowly moved from around the table toward her. “And I wish to know something as well.”

“I don’t think there is much I could tell you, that you don’t already know.” She forced a hint of amusement into her voice as she subconsciously pushed herself away from the table allowing herself more freedom of movement.

Simultaneous audible clicks from Zeke and Drang’s blasters and the sound of Zekka Thyne activating a vibroblade had her reaching up to her braid but Thrawn pulled her back against him. _“Not yet.”_ He whispered in her ear.

“I think there is a great deal _Teela Zapheri_ could tell me. I want to know what Stratna needs from a wealthy Coruscanti woman and a half-breed Imperial.”

## Back on the Thunder Wasp.

Colonel Wullf Yularen was glaring at her. Again.

“Where?”

“Where? Don’t you mean ‘who’?”

“No, _where_ was this person you met that showed promise as a ground assault commander?” Yularen’s face was starting to become red.

“Corellia. His name was Veers. Colonel Maximilian Veers.”

“And how do you know?”

Teela cocked her head and made a face “How do I know his _name_?”

Wullf pinched the bridge of his nose. “How do you know this Colonel Veers from Corellia is a good _ground assault_ commander!?” His question growled through gritted teeth.

_Oh great…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,
> 
> I'm hoping to post the next chapter tomorrow the the last chapter Monday or Tuesday. It's a bit anti-climatic and dull. Little plot and the next bit is sort of creepy - Note: I wrote it initially or at least it popped into my sleep deprived brain at the end of October in time for Halloween. I don't know what I was thinking (hint: I wasn't) I wrote it down and carelessly didn't bother changing it. I'm sorry. :(   
> Hopefully a quick cameo by a Princess will make it mildly tolerable. ;-D  
> Thank you so much for your patience and for reading this silliness. It is truly appreciated.  
> -N!


	6. About Translating, Vandalizing and Sharpshooting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Torture, murder
> 
> Note: This is a really long chapter - poor planning on my part. I'm sorry.
> 
> Translations: In text.
> 
> In This Chapter:  
> Electrifying beacon  
> Trusting fate  
> Smashed and the art too  
> Barricade   
> The artist  
> Neru's request  
> The shot  
> Zapheri gets in the way  
> Yularen doesn't play fair

## 6 Days Before…

**Corellia, Coronet City**

**The Nude Selonian Pub**

_Half-breed?_

Thrawn sighed so heavily, it almost sounded like a snort. “Ch’ah csarcican’t nah k’useso g’et’en’ah ror han’aituhah rah Ch’ah ch’ean’I ch’acacah vah.” **{I would not offer opinions on pedigree if I looked like you. - Cheunh}**

Teela’s eyes darted over to him and she cocked her head in warning, but it was too late, Thyne’s strange eyes had zeroed in on him. The Black Sun Lieutenant motioned with his vibroblade toward him and one of his ruffians slowly approached him.

“Wait!” Zapheri stepped in front of the Commander, speaking hastily. “He’s drugged. He doesn’t know _what_ he’s saying! He doesn’t know _anything_!”

“Oh, I know he’s drugged.” Thyne grinned. “And whether he knows anything – “ He shrugged. “ – that remains to be determined.”

The Chiss abruptly took off his helmet and flung it at the approaching human, hissing something vulgar sounding. From her peripheral vision, Teela caught sight of the other man circling around on the other side of his boss and she spun just in time to land a solid punch to his face followed by an awkward rounding kick. It was like punching a durasteel wall and the kick was no better, plus it was clumsily executed given her long skirts. As the pain raced up through her hand and made her arm throb the human grinned and reached out with one massive hand, grabbing her throat.

_And just why the kriff couldn’t I use my hair pins?_

Thyne yanked the veil from her face and immediately nodded to the man holding her. He spun her around and she was only able to gasp for air for a stuttered heartbeat until he pulled her into the crook of his arm and tightened his grip.

“Commander Thrawn!” The Black Sun Lieutenant called.

Teela gasped and wheezed, slapped and clawed at the muscled arm holding her but she wasn’t the only one struggling for breath. She blinked to clear her vision, enough to see Thrawn using the chain that was attached to his slave collar to strangle Thyne’s other guard.

“I’ll tell you what,” Thyne motioned casually to the man Thrawn was choking. “Kill him. It will be amusing to watch – “ he turned and nodded to the other holding Zapheri who cut her already limited air supply off with the flexing of his bicep. “ - and then I’ll be forced to cut off pieces of your girlfriend while you watch.”

She tried to shake her head, tried to scream at the Chiss to run, to leave and get help but the sound wasn’t right and the effort it took just to keep her eyes open was becoming all-consuming.

Abruptly, some of the strange gargling noices stopped and there was the sound of coughing and gagging, Zapheri felt the pressure on her throat let up slightly but her vision spun wildly, making her queasy.

“Let her go.” Thrawn’s Basic was heavily accented.

Thyne laughed. “You aren’t in a position to make demands.”

Fortunately, the Black Sun Lieutenant motioned to the man holding her. “Drang, take care of him.”

The man gave him custody his hostage; Teela was passed roughly to the hybrid, coughing and gasping, trying to avoid vomiting and nearly running into the buzzing vibroblade. Thyne spun her around once again, to face the Commander and grabbed a fistful of hair yanking her head back and pressing the blade dangerously close to her bared throat as Drang and Zeke grabbed the Chiss.

“Bind his arms and legs.” He ordered the men harshly. The criminal leader turned his head to whisper gently into Zapheri’s ear. “Is there anything you want to tell me before we begin?”

“If you kill him, the Empire will hunt you down until you’re either dead or in a penal colony.” She threated hoarsely. “The best you can hope to do is just walk out of here and leave us alone.”

He snorted. “If the Empire was in charge of my capture, I’d die of old age right here in Coronet City.”

She shook her head resolutely.

Thyne clicked his tongue at her resolve. “So what can _he_ tell me?”

“Nothing.”

“You, my dear, are a terrible liar.” He hissed. “And I don’t like liars.”

“And I don’t like criminals.” She snapped back, still struggling to regain her breath.

In response the Black Sun Lieutenant moved the vibroblade a centimeter closer to her throat. She could feel the thrum of the weapon disturb the thin layer of perspiration on her skin and Teela struggled to still herself, certain that if she began to tremble, she’d be nicked by the blade.

“Very well,” Thyne’s voice was cold. “I won’t kill him. _Yet_.”

Drang had apparently finished binding their other prisoner to his satisfaction and was coming over to report his success to his employer, but his face was split into a large grin. “Boss, that collar he has on - it’s the real deal.” The man laughed and glanced over his shoulder at the bound Chiss.

The crime boss grunted and moved the blade, pushing her into Drang who again wrapped his giant meaty arm around her neck. “Excellent, I have a game in mind.” He murmured, as Zapheri glared at him.

The hybrid sauntered over to where Thrawn sat tied awkwardly to a chair with Zeke standing over him grudgingly.

“Sorry ‘bout earlier Boss.” The human kicked the bound Imperial in his right shin which made the Commander roll his eyes and mutter something rude sounding in Cheunh.

“I’m not worried about anything, Zeke.” The Black Sun Lieutenant grinned at him. He waited for the man to return his expression and then rammed the vibroblade through his middle. “I’m not worried _at all_.”

Zekka Thyne did _not_ tolerate mistakes.

The corpse slid off his vibroblade and landed with a thud on the floor momentarily distorting the muffled sob of the woman behind him. The hybrid kicked the body out of the way, his eyes flashing warningly to Zapheri.

“Now.” He turned to Thrawn and picked up the shock collar’s mechanism attached to the chain the Chiss had been led around by. “Why don’t you tell me what Stratna has in mind for you two?”

The alien’s expression settled into one of simmering malevolence and Teela felt her face dampen with moisture – tears and perspiration. Drang forcibly made her sit in one of the chairs, opposite of the bound Commander to watch what was about to unfold. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. If she did – if she saw her own feelings mirrored there – she’d never be able to do what he wanted her to do.

_“My Basic is cumbersome Zapheri.”_ Thrawn shook his head as if to clear it. “ _Tell him something for me?”_

His Sy Bisti was also very thick and strained, like he was unfocused – his pronunciation, always very succinct, was slurred and accented.

She looked up, not quite meeting his gaze, terror in her eyes at his nearly incoherent speech and impaired state. His face was tilted sideways, his eyelids drooped, hanging low over his red sclera and a muscle underneath his right eye twitched.

“What would you like me to tell him?” She asked softly in Basic, trying hard to conceal the emotional upheaval it caused her to see him on the precipice of harm and not in control of himself. She felt the human man behind her shift, perhaps relishing in the seemingly short time it had taken for Thrawn to crack.

_“Tell him…he is Corellian garbage. Tell him if he hurts you in any way, I will kill him with my own hands and will take great pleasure in it. Tell him - ”_

“Cha, Thrawn. Ngiyacela ungenzi -!” **{No, Thrawn. Please do not - ! – Sy Bisti}**

**“K’ir veah Ch’ah ber!”** **{Do as I say! – Cheunh}** The Commander snapped with renewed fire in his eyes, but it was misdirected ire, slung in multiple directions, as if he wasn’t sure what to do with his own body, his mind whirling haphazardly. She dared to make direct eye contact.

Normally, Thrawn’s gaze was steady and directed, matching his temperament, but now the glowing red embers behind his half-closed eyelids were restless.

Teela shook her head sending tears flying. _“I do not understand. You are speaking Cheunh. You are not making any sense. Is it the drug?”_

“Zapheri, ch’ao’rvott – “ He grunted and corrected himself “lalela…” **{Zapheri, listen – Cheunh}{Listen – Sy Bisti}**

She forced herself to breathe carefully as she watched him struggle for control of himself.

“Ngiba heki” She said firmly as she herself struggled to keep her eyes on him. **{Look at me. – Sy Bisti}**

He focused on her, blinking away the discomfort behind his eyes and tightened his jaw.

The column of her throat moved slightly when she swallowed, her face was wet, her eyes red and puffy but she kept goading him to stay conscious with her presence.

He was hiding something

_“Tell me.”_ Teela whispered.

_“_ Carcir ch’a - Nah – “ **{There is – No – Cheunh}** He stopped himself and shook his head, blinked a few times and tried again. “Kukhona inkomba yokulandelela ekhola lami kanye nomyalezo ogciniwe oya esisekelweni ukubazisa ukuthi ngidinga usizo.” **{There is a tracking beacon in my collar and a pre-recorded message to the base, informing them that I am in need of assistance. – Sy Bisti}** For the briefest of moments, it appeared as if the Chiss Commander had sobered, but he suddenly looked absently around the room, and tipped his head back as if he’d become dizzy.

_“So, when are they coming?”_ Zapheri pressed, feeling a sense of cautious optimism.

_“Who?”_ He blinked at her sleepily.

_“Our rescuers?”_ She growled, completely cognizant that Zekka Thyne was standing next to Thrawn staring at her and one of his henchmen likely had a blaster aimed at her head from behind.

_“I would imagine less than an hour after they are called.”_

Her cautious optimism went out the airlock.

Her breath left her in a stifled gasp that was half fear, half hope that refused to die. To activate that tracking beacon and send the message…

No.

Oh no.

_“How do you activate the be - ?”_

The not-so-subtle sound of someone clearing their throat caused her to jump in her seat and look up at the Black Sun Lieutenant in a near state of panic. He was looking pointedly at his vibroblade, then at her and at the Imperial.

“So?” Thyne’s bald head lowered slightly and he bared his sharp incisors. “What did he say?”

Teela looked frantically over at the bound Chiss seeking guidance.

_Please no. Don’t make me do this._

Where she was hoping to see stoic resolve, she saw him slack jawed, eyes half closed and visibly addled due to whatever drug they’d given him. The hybrid continued to make a point of studying the controlling mechanism to the slave collar while moving his vibroblade menacingly back and forth.

She shifted uncomfortably when Thrawn’s gaze settled on her and he nodded “Mtshele engikushilo, Zapheri.” **{Tell him what I said, Zapheri. – Sy Bisti}**

“Impela hayi konke!?” **{Certainly not all of it!}**

_“Not all of it, woman!”_ The Chiss actually rolled his eyes and groaned, mumbling exasperatedly in Cheunh. Switching back to heavily accented Sy Bisti, he clarified. _“What I said about him being garbage and by all means since you are quite skilled at insults and vulgarisms, add some of your own.”_

“Uzama ukusibulala?!” She asked bewilderedly. **{Are you _trying_ to get us killed?}**

“Enough talk!” Thyne snarled. “What did he say?”

Zapheri exhaled shakily. The Commander nodded once encouragingly but there was absolutely no reassurance in seeing the bound Chiss leaning drunkenly to one side with fluttering eyelids.

_…“Because our cover must be convincing and if I am caught you must be provided a means to ensure I am punished as an indentured servant or slave would be.” …_

_…“I won’t do it! …_

_…“You will. You will have to.”…_

His words echoed in her mind; a single tear fell down her cheek.

_Wasn’t it bad enough I had to shoot him to save him from an assassin?_

“He said – “ her throat had suddenly gone hoarse so she cleared it. “He said he thinks you are Corellian garbage. And if you hurt me in any way, he’ll kill you with his own hands and take great pleasure in it.”

When the expected blow from a fist or vibroblade didn’t come she continued.

_I’m so sorry…I sure hope you know what you’re doing, Thrawn._

“You have the intelligence of a womp rat and if shit had two legs, eyes, a nose and a mouth it would look just like you. There is no point in explaining Stratna’s plans to you as it would be like explaining hyperdrive theory to a lobotomized worrt. In the hierarchy of Black Sun you’re not getting anywhere because you lack the vision an – “

Abruptly Thrawn began to writhe in agony as the collar around his neck came alive. Teela Zapheri did the only thing she could.

She screamed and pleaded for Thyne to stop but her cries fell on deaf ears. It wasn’t until the Chiss passed out from the pain, that the Black Sun Lieutenant once again slid his vibroblade precariously close to her carotid artery, leering down at her as he did.

“Once he wakes up, he gets to answer the questions while you wear the collar. We will see how you _both_ feel about that.”

Colonel Veers had been briefed on the situation by the first officer aboard the Thunder Wasp and was given all the information on the building – from its schematics to its ownership history.

If there was something Corellia had too much of, it was smugglers and malcontents and a new serial killer that had left a trail of bodies all through Treasure Ship Row. The sick bastard had left each of them drained of blood, their hands and feet severed and nowhere to be found. Most had been civilians, but the killer had gotten bold. He’d started going after Imperials – initially stormtroopers, first mutilating them and returning their bodies to their armor prior to dumping the corpse, and then moving on to officers – just recently murdering a Lieutenant Commander.

For Veers, without the necessary resources, there wasn’t much he could do besides increase patrols, support investigative work, and keep requesting the help they so desperately needed while watching gangsters take over the planet as his career stagnated. So, he spent what little free time he had reading Imperial dispatches, reports and the like, not to mention anything relating to Imperial politics. He was determined to keep abreast of what was going on; to be ready for whatever fate had in store.

It just so happened, fate played its hand and the strange alien Commander from the Thunder Wasp he’d been reading so much about, rising through the ranks like someone had a vendetta against obstacles in his path, had come to Corellia. He insisted he could curb Black Sun with a little help from the garrison and bring in the Treasure Ship Row serial killer as a sort of a ‘thank you for your assistance’. As if he wasn’t already doing Veers a favor!

It took all of twenty minutes for the Chiss looking at the evidence they’d accumulated to figure out they hadn’t been dealing with just any sadist. No, they had a _Morite_ in Treasure Ship Row.

Veers shivered.

Morites practiced making ‘art’ out of death. The method apparently started out harmless enough - arranging dead leaves to represent something peaceful, at least according to the Commander which had lectured him on the topic for a good ten minutes while he valiantly held on to the contents of his stomach. Somewhere in its thousand-year history it had been twisted into something far more sinister in which its practitioners would kill to get the necessary effect for their ‘masterpieces.’

_And I have one of those running loose on my planet!_

Thankfully Thrawn seemed to know how to take care of the matter and now that his message had come in with pre-recorded instructions, it seemed even more likely the Empire would be able to take back at least a portion of Corellia from the criminals that had overrun it.

An awkward looking Lieutenant approached as the Colonel studied the schematics of the building.

“Sir, the diplomatic envoy from Alderaan is requesting release. Shall I – ?”

“Inform them they are to wait for further clearance.” He looked up at the other man. “The Senator needs to understand we are not his personal refueling station.”

“Yessir!”

To relieve the miserable looking officer a stormtrooper captain marched up and saluted the two.

“Your orders, sir?”

“We move in when our spotters see movement.” Veers murmured thoughtfully studying the building layout again. “It may end up being a stakeout Captain, so prepare your men.”

“Yes, sir.”

With the information provided, Colonel Maximilian Veers would have no problems infiltrating the building by force under fire but of course, it would be easier if he could just enter through a back door and use the element of surprise. He would leave that in Thrawn and Zapheri’s hands. Veers could no longer trust in fate.

It had already given him too much.

They had put them both in the same room. Teela Zapheri wasn’t a tactician like her employer but even she knew the strategic pitfall in placing all your meilooruns in one basket, especially when said basket had a hole in it. In this case it wasn’t so much a hole in a piece of wickerwork, but an exterior room in the basement with a window near street level; albeit covered by small bars. There was just enough light to provide shadows, but it was better than being shoved into a darkened interior cleaning closet.

Zekka Thyne wasn’t particularly intelligent when it came to imprisoning people, probably because he very rarely kept his enemies alive long enough to stow them for any great length of time. Unfortunately, the crime lord had a penchant for torture and had figured out quickly what their weaknesses were.

_In our case, each other._

Teela knew that if Thyne continued to torture Thrawn in whatever form the bastard was predisposed to when it was “his turn” again, she wouldn’t be able to hold out. She would begin to relay pieces of information. And it was “her turn” next. She didn’t expect the Chiss to capitulate no matter what the Black Sun Lieutenant had in mind for her, he was warrior first and certainly not driven by sentiment.

That alone would likely work to Thyne’s advantage.

After so many rounds of back-and-forth torture during which time neither of them spoke, some form of subconscious resentment _could_ form – breaking their bond and ultimately giving Black Sun what they were seeking.

The best she could hope to do was rest and let the Commander do the same, but as hard as she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to relax. The room was without furnishings, completely empty save multiple pieces of art up for the auction.

_Another tactical miscalculation from Thyne._

Teela rolled her eyes, thinking of how satisfying it would be to destroy some of the merchandise but thought better of it.

_Thrawn wouldn’t approve._

Zapheri looked down at the unconscious Chiss. She had balled up her bulky skirts and placed his head in her lap being very careful not to jar his shoulders and neck too much – they had been burned slightly, the flesh made raw, by the slave collar’s electroshock function. 

“We’ve got to stop doing this.” She smiled saddly down at him.

It was a few minutes later when he woke, groaning as he opened his eyes.

_“Are you alright?”_ She stared worriedly down at him.

He smiled thinly at her and hummed, inhaled deeply and grunting. “Vah g’ebusi sceo bun.” **{You smell so good. – Cheunh}**

Teela’s worried expression seemed to deepen, making her brow knit and her lips purse. Thrawn sat up slowly but lowered his head as his surroundings spun violently, unable to raise again for fear of falling back into unconsciousness. It wasn’t until he felt the heat and heard a strange pounding sound, did he realize he had lowered his head onto Zapheri’s chest.

_Len ver._ **{Her heart – Cheunh}**

_“I will take that as a ‘no’.”_ She sounded nervous, her voice was unsteady and high.

Thrawn really didn’t care about the half dozen social faux pas he was committing or how embarrassed they’d be later. With any luck he could successfully feign ignorance without her noticing – something that was becoming more difficult with every passing day as she became more in tune with him. He certainly wasn’t going to forget it anytime soon – he’d be reliving it every night.

_Len g’ebusi. To run bah len vur. To viscasi bah len._ **{Her scent. The sound of her heart. The warmth of her. - Cheunh}**

“Ch’ah cart seo ttah bun veo ch’ah cart bah vah.” The Chiss whispered. **{I am always better when I am with you. – Cheunh}**

After some time, she gently put her hand on his head and smoothed back his hair and for a brief moment he pretended she understood. “I’m sorry this happened.” She said in Basic.

He didn’t say anything but merely stayed pressed to her, allowing her to slowly caress his head. They both dozed, although Teela less comfortably so with her boss pushed fully up against her, his face practically in her decolletage.

_He’s drugged. He’s not in his right mind._

As if to accent this thought, Thrawn stirred and slowly moved his hand up to touch her exposed clavicle with the knuckle of his index finger. “Vah cart cast ta ch’acah g’et veo ch’ah in’a run’he’ah bah vah.” He murmured softly **.** **{You are even more lovely than when I first dreamed of you. – Cheunh}**

Zapheri shivered and moved her hand once again to the back of his head to gently comb through his hair, hearing him sigh with pleasure. “Thrawn, you’re speaking Cheunh. I don’t understand. Do you need something?”

He snorted softly, “Ch’ah csarcican’t nah rt’eseci can’casehn ch’eo vepihn can veo bsort vatvo tta.” **{I would not mind burying my face in your breasts some more. – Cheunh}**

Although she only caught several words – mostly through having heard him speak previously - it sounded like a question to her ears and so she nodded slowly, anxious to keep him still. He stared at her for a long moment with tired eyes.

“Zapheri I am – “

The sound of a heavy door unlocking jarred her. “Shhhh, pretend to be unconscious” she whispered quickly.

Zekka Thyne entered the room looking smug, his multi-colored eyes fixed on her instantly. “I’m so very glad I can render a woman of such status, comfortable.”

“I’d be more comfortable if you were to drop dead, asshole.”

“You have a very vulgar mouth.” He tutted at her. “Perhaps, after you or your Imperial friend tell me what I want to know, I’ll cut out your tongue. It will be the nicest thing I do to you.”

“Maybe you could cut off my nose too, at least I wouldn’t have to smell your stench.”

The Black Sun Lieutenant stepped forward, revealing his teeth menacingly but he stopped himself abruptly, his snarl becoming a sneer. “I don’t think you’ll be nearly as arrogant after Drang gets done with you.”

As hard as she tried Teela couldn’t quite keep herself from shuddering and Thyne continued.

“He’s not very gentle but he gives you no doubt as to what he intends. After Drang is done with you, I think I’ll let Neru have whatever is left and then – “ He paused significantly. “Thrawn gets to decide just how far he’s willing to go to keep his secrets.”

He motioned behind him and Drang walked in, having to hunch down to fit through the door. Zapheri gasped and slowly slid Thrawn’s head off her lap, prompting him to grunt. He was in no condition to deal with the brute.

_But neither are you!_

“Make sure she’s up for Neru after you’re done with her.” The Thyne called casually to his henchman as he closed the door behind him.

She got shakily to her feet and glared at the bodyguard. Drang had bright orange hair and a nose piercing, likely stood a full ten centimeters taller than Thrawn and his neck which was the size of her thigh was tattooed – proudly signifying his commitment to Black Sun.

Teela backed up toward the corner with the stockpile of art, never taking her eyes off the man until she reached behind her and felt one of the statues. She grabbed it intent on using it as a club when he charged. At the same time, he grabbed her around the middle to hoist her up and slam her into the wall, she brought the statue down hard on his head.

The thing crumbled.

Drang stumbled and dropped her, not so much due to the head injury – an open oozing wound - but rather the dust and shards of plaster getting into his eyes.

She dodged his floundering and ran past him on the verge of panic.

_“Were you expecting me to live through this?”_ She screamed.

Thrawn lifted his head slightly and looked at her through narrow eyes. “Ukubukela phansi. Sebenzisa izikhonkwana.” {He underestimates you. Use pins. – Sy Bisti}

_“Oh, now you want me to use pins?”_ She shrieked. _“I hate you when you are like this!”_

In the end, Drang’s tattoo and bulging neck veins –visible due in part to the sliver of light from the window and to his rage at having his prey escape his initial attack – were ample targets for three pins. He stood rigidly in dull-eyed confusion and rocked back on his heels. Zapheri cursed and threw another pin straight into his forehead for good measure which sent him falling backwards, his head hitting a piece of pottery from the cache of art with a loud crack.

Teela exhaled in relief as she stared at the downed Black Sun second. There was a soft sigh of frustration from the Chiss prompting her to glance his way. Thrawn was propped up on one elbow looking dolefully at the disturbed sculptures, stonework, plaques and pottery.

“You could not have avoided destroying the art?”

The Black Sun Lieutenant was ugly and thoughtless, but he wasn’t _entirely_ stupid. His second hadn’t entered their impromptu prison with a long-range weapon and he hadn’t come in with anything that could help them escape. Which meant he’d have someone coming back for him after a set amount of time and Thrawn was certain he knew _exactly_ who that someone would be.

“Zekka Thyne indicated the Pau’an, Neru would come.” The Chiss braced himself against the wall as he watched Zapheri build a make-shift barricade from the sculptures and antiquities left unsupervised in the room with them.

She grunted as she rolled a heavy etched block of stonework depicting the life of a noble Ithorian leader, likely 275th T’olf Dynasty, scrapping the underside of it and cursing until she positioned it at the right angle relative to the door.

“He’s harmless.” Teela huffed. “I’m more concerned about the people that come in with him.”

The room told him otherwise. The only reason why they would be placed in an exterior room with a window is for the Pau’an to have enough light to see. Otherwise, he would use the complete darkness to his benefit and capitalize on his victim’s fear.

The Chiss looked over at her, noting her face was flushed with exertion. He was starting to regain his strength, but he was far from his full capacity and he would be far from helpful to her if Neru was what he feared. “I disagree. His capacity for trickery is significant, especially if he has been previously affiliated with the Firnili Sect. Regardless, upon initiation of the shock collar, a distress call was sent out to the garrison relaying our exact location. Colonel Veers and his men should be here within one hour.”

She looked over from admiring her monolithic structure made from priceless cultural treasures, the poor treatment of which was a profound loss, but it could not be helped. Their lives were more important.

“I’m looking forward to that.” Zapheri stepped over to him and placed his arm carefully over her shoulder. “I’ll help you.”

“I believe I can walk.”

“And I believe I can pilot a Arquitens-class light cruiser, but you won’t be giving me control of the Thunder Wasp any time soon, will you?”

The Commander didn’t say anything and let her help him shuffle over and sit on the floor behind the barricade of art. She sat next to him, curling her legs up and offered her lap with the bunched-up folds of her skirts for his head and he almost nestled into her without thinking.

_No._

“I am well, Zapheri.”

She blinked at him, smiled thinly, leaned back against the Ithorian life depiction and closed her eyes.

Thrawn studied her peripherally and was thankful he refused to teach her Cheunh. It was the only way he could confess himself, relieve his worries and fears, tell her how beautiful she was and how much he needed her without completely losing face and destroying everything he’d worked for.

Whatever drug he’d ingested, it had rendered him so inept he couldn’t seem to string two words together in Sy Bisti let alone Basic. All he had was his native language – just one more secret he used to hide behind but this particular experience hadn’t been entirely unpleasant…

_Perhaps I should begin teaching her Cheunh?_

The best way would be through immersion and the only way Teela Zapheri could become immersed would be if she were to go –

_No!_

But that had been his original intent in coming to the Empire. That was the point. The purpose. The _reason_ _why_ he was here.

_No!_

Thrawn’s mind rebelled against the idea of sending her away. He was berating himself for the purely emotional response when he was snapped back to his current time and place by the sound of the heavy door opening once again.

The woman next to him jerked awake, instantly looking at him with terrified eyes.

“Priestess Batas?” The Pau’an’s voice cooed, the sound of something sharp coming unsheathed echoed off the darkened walls. “Come out. I would like to show you my art.”

Neru had waited long enough. If what the strange mutant criminal had said was true and the woman wasn’t a _real_ Priestess, his pleasure wouldn’t be reciprocated. However, since she wasn’t a real member of the Firnil, she wouldn’t be missed. According to Thyne, the woman, Batas, was supposedly running from not only Black Sun but the Preshini Sect too.

The Pau’an shivered. No wonder she looked like a terrified little fish.

The Firnil were grifters, the Uylites from Fondor lacked enthusiasm, the Gorij were brutes but the Preshini fanatics were true believers. They were terrifying in their beliefs and willingness to kill, maim and destroy everything that didn’t submit to their leaders.

No, the Firnil were gentle compared to the true religious bigots of the Preshini Sect.

Neru was neither; was something else entirely.

He was an _artist_.

The Pau’an decided he would take pity on her since she’d obviously suffered from having to dodge such hateful people. He would take the material he needed quickly. For a sharp strange moment, he regretted having to take them at all, but he was an artist and artists needed raw materials.

Preferably _very_ raw.

He fumbled with the archaic door card excitedly, his long fingers eager to touch flesh and bone. When he entered the room, it was strangely quiet making him stop to look for the Black Sun muscle that was sent for her previously.

Neru had advocated he take what was promised him first, and then Thyne could toy with her all he liked but the disgusting criminals had to have their malicious fun despite his art. If the dull-witted sack of nerf meat bruised her too much, there wouldn’t be anything to use. The cuts needed to be precise, the angles accurately measured.

_Exact._

His form of art was more mortuary science than creative media and if Black Sun ruined his opportunity to resume work on his masterpiece then…

He sniffed the air and stepped further into the room drawing his favorite blade.

“ _Priestess_ Batas?” He called silkily. “Come out. I would like to show you my art.”

Neru heard a small gasp and grinned.

He moved a few steps into the gloom and felt his smile fade. The miserable wench had piled the art into a massive barrier in hopes she’d stop someone from advancing on her.

How stupid of Thyne to store her in the same room with the lots up for auction!

The Pau’an bared his teeth and moved closer. Suddenly he saw it, coming straight at him – a tiny metallic thing that caught the light just enough for him to bat it away with his blade.

There was a sharp clinking sound of metal-on-metal when his ceremonial sword connected with the small projectile. Another flash of light prompted him to bend down and retreat, glancing near where the deflected object had landed.

_Hair pins?_

She was throwing sharpened hair pins like a trained assassin!

Neru stifled a devious chuckle. She may not have been involved with the Firnil but by their Gods, she was feisty. He’d enjoy getting his raw material from her.

The artist slowly advanced again, waiting for her to strike. She was either waiting for the perfect shot or she had run out of pins. The Pau’an was hoping it wasn’t the latter when she finally revealed herself.

“Neru?”

“Ah, Batas. Come.” He motioned to her with his free hand, the one not holding his blade.

“What do you want?”

He smiled. “I wish to show you my art.”

“Uyingozi.” The voice of her attendant, low but much more authoritative spoke from the floor beside her. **{He is dangerous – Sy Bisti}**

“Ngiyazi.” Her answer sounded thoughtful. **{I know – Sy Bisti}**

“Phansi manje!” The man snapped. **{Get down now. – Sy Bisti}**

Although, he didn’t understand the language they were speaking – perhaps some trade language or Outer Rim dialect he hadn’t developed an ear for – but he knew the tone.

“You really should think of picking a better servant, my dear. Preferably one that doesn’t speak unless spoken to.” He felt his lips quirk up as he heard the other male hiss. “I could help you with your problem by removing his tongue?”

“No.” Batas snapped, her pretty human features contorted into an ugly snarl. “Leave us alone.”

This time he couldn’t hold his mirth and his laugh rumbled out of his chest. “Oh, I have no intention of doing that. I need your help with my art.”

There was a moment of stillness.

“Help us get out of here and I’ll assist in your art project.”

There was another snarl from behind the barrier followed by a hurried string of distorted words in the same language as before. “Ngeke wenze lutho ngalolu! Pau’an iyisibulali Morite!” **{You will do nothing of the sort! The Pau’an is a murdering Morite! – Sy Bisti.}**

_Morite._

Neru heard the name imbedded in the hasty warning, saw the woman’s eyes once again widened this time in horror. She looked down to her companion to gage whether his concern was some sort of ill-conceived joke and in that time, he used the shadows and his years spent hunting to his advantage.

His lengthy stride allowed him to travel the space separating them quickly. His long arms and strong hands were his means of snatching his pray, grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her up and over the stonework she foolishly believed could protect her from the art of death.

She screamed and flailed in the darkness as the being behind the giant carving called out for her. Batas tried unsuccessfully to pull at one of her hair pins – still trying to fight against the inevitable.

“Zapheri, mtshele ukuthi umsebenzi wakhe wobuciko uzobhujiswa uma ekulimaza!” **{Zapheri, tell him you will have his artwork destroyed if he harms you. – Sy Bisti}**

The Pau’an caught yet another familiar word in her attendant’s unintelligible speech and turned to the woman in his grip, “Zapheri?” He grinned triumphantly. “The scholar from Coruscant?” he peered at her through the gloom.

She still tried to kick and scratch at him – they all did – but his craft had made him strong.

“My art will be legendary and you, my dear, will be made even more beautiful when you are immortal in death.”

“I will go with you willingly.” The woman blurted suddenly as he pulled her toward him. This was entirely unexpected and Neru stopped to look down at her once again, only mildly annoyed at her companion’s burst of anger that followed her declaration.

“Oh, will you?” The Morite smirked, recognizing the likely trick.

“Yes.” Her dark human eyes looked up at him. “Only if you agree not to hurt my attendant. You and I will go to the Imperial garrison and you will turn yourself in. I promise you’ll receive a – “

He didn’t hear the rest. He was too amused. Upon quieting his laughter Zapheri’s companion finally stepped out of his hiding place without his disguise.

“You would do well to listen to her.”

The being was unlike anything he’d ever seen. Pantoran…but not.

_The eyes!_

They were red, glowing in the gloom around them and Neru wondered if they would even do so after death. The Pau’an decided he was going to find out and regardless of whether they remained bright, he’d use them for his masterpiece.

“And who are you to demand such of me?” he grinned with pointed teeth, moving closer to the strange man and readying his blade.

“I am Commander Thrawn of the Imperial Navy, Captain of the Thunder Wasp, and you – “ the being stepped closer to him. “ – are holding my aide-de-camp. Either surrender to us now or I will order the garrison to destroy the wall on the east side of this building.”

The Morite jerked and froze as if he’d been stabbed. “No.” He growled harshly, tightening his grip on the whimpering human.

Thrawn eyes flashed warningly and they moved to the right. “I have studied your work, Neru. It is incomplete.”

“Be silent, demon!” The Pau’an snarled and stepped back away from the Imperial.

“Is that why you’ve needed so many?” The red eyes narrowed and were no longer parallel to the floor and were slowly moving back to the left as if the monster were pacing in front of the window to keep the room in continuous darkness. “How much do you require to finish?”

“It will not matter to you, Imperial!”

The eyes moved again, becoming parallel with the ground and zeroing in on Neru, flicking briefly to Zapheri. “Right now, at this moment, a ground assault team is preparing to enter this building by force. Whether you or I survive is immaterial, however if you help us in the effort to peacefully capture the Black Sun operatives at large, there will be no need for mass destruction and your masterpiece will likely survive the impending attack.”

The Pau’an exhaled a rattling breath. “Will you let me finish it?” his voice cracking in angry desperation.

Neru felt the woman in his grasp stiffen and knew the answer. The eyes moved back and forth and stopped leaning away from the window, allowing a sliver of light to cascade into the basement.

“No. I cannot.”

“Then I have a request.”

The demon was silent, staring but his aide had apparently understood what was about to befall her because she resumed her weak attempts to pull away.

“Use our deaths to finish!” The Morite grinned bitterly at the light as he raised his sword to impale not only the frantic woman but himself with one thrust. As the artist’s wrist curved down for the final thrust, the sharpness of mortality caught the Pau’an so abruptly he did not have an opportunity to consider the aesthetics of his own demise nor that of the woman he so desperately wanted to take with him.

The Colonel was watching through his macrobinoculars and listening to the occasional chatter over the comm when the spotter’s report came in. The Empire’s art enthusiast Commander and his aide-de-camp had been captured and were both being held in the basement of the bar.

Though apparently even in imprisonment Thrawn had been busy. He managed to set up a great view of the room for the sniper. His aide had moved several heavy pieces of stone from in front of the window – which didn’t stop the spotter from making a vulgar comment about her ass - and angled a makeshift barrier such that an enemy advancing into the room would be blinded by light coming from the window…that is, if there was light.

And that seemed to be what the sharpshooter’s spotter – his eyes outside of his scope - was struggling with. The street near the bar was dark, the bar itself was dimly lit and there was absolutely nothing lighting the basement where the Commander and Zapheri were being held. The only bit of illumination came from another vendor across the street that was due to close soon.

And then there would be no light at all.

Veers had switched frequencies to listen to the sniper and his spotter and from their whispered banter he gathered there had been a brief flash of movement from inside. Someone had entered the basement.

“You see that, Eyes?”

“Looks like a Pau’an. Dank farrik, those things make me nervous.”

“Yeah, you and me both.” The sharpshooter grunted. “What’s it doing?”

“Dunno but the lights are on in the main corridor. That’s good for the main team.”

A hard silence followed, during which Veers gripped his macros tighter and glanced at the stormtrooper captain noting his readiness.

Suddenly the comm erupted in excitement garbled by static. “Shit. Shit! He’s got her. He’s got her.”

Veers quickly moved his gaze from the east side of the building to the basement window and briefly saw a flash – not blaster fire but more like light reflecting off metal.

_What in all Hells?_

“I see it. I see it.”

“You got a lock?”

“I’ve got no light! What can you do for me, Eyes!?”

The Spotter cursed – “Colonel, we need immediate – no wait!” The man stopped himself as Veers motioned for the Captain to hold and focused his macros on the blurry image of someone – Thrawn, maybe - moving back and forth, getting closer to the wall with the window and then finally leaning completely out of the way so what little illumination there was could momentarily blind the perpetrator in front of him.

“You got light on him. You’re clear. Make the shot.”

The shot echoed throughout Treasure Ship Row.

“Engage now Captain.” The Colonel commanded. “And get some lights on for our sharpshooters. We are going to have hell and brimstone unleashed.”

“Yessir.”

The first wave of stormtroopers entered the building from the north, blasting open the door with about as much subtlety as a rancor at a cocktail party and Veers moved his attention back to the basement. One of the advance men put out glow rods prompting the dark cobblestone of the streets and walls to be bathed in light. The Colonel caught a quick glimpse of both Teela Zapheri and Commander Thrawn clamoring to safety behind their stone barrier within the basement before the easter group of stormtroopers ascended the steps to forcibly enter the building.

Thrawn and Zapheri were secure. For now.

_That was an impressive shot._

“Spotter?” Veers called over the comm as he lowered his macros.

“Yessir?”

“Clicks away from the target and the designated marksman?”

“Approximately one and a half, sir.” The man answered crisply.

_In low light and under pressure. Very impressive._

“A fine shot. Name and TK number of the marksman?”

The other voice – that of the sniper - answered. “TK-593, sir. Name’s Mayfeld.”

“Good work, Mayfeld.” The Colonel smiled tightly. “Stand-by.”

Any response was interrupted by blaster fire and Veers once again peered through his macros at the building below, now inundated with Imperial troops.

The advanced weaponry team was engaged, aerial retreat was cut off by TIE patrol and there was a secondary line of stormtroopers waiting. The operation was perfectly choreographed and would be executed without flaw, but Black Sun was tenacious. Zekka Thyne would not give up easily, Veers knew. The Colonel could only hope that fate would continue to be kind.

Black Sun’s fury and revenge was in general elusive and subtle - the organization excelled in blackmail, poisonings, and “accidental deaths” whereas there was nothing understated about an Imperial stormtrooper. However, Zekka Thyne didn’t quite fit the crime syndicates standard mold. Perhaps that was why he had thrived so well on an Imperial-dominated core world.

Regardless, when he entered the basement to grab his bargaining chip, in hopes of avoiding the ensuing firefight, as Thrawn suspected he would, the hybrid was furious to find his second dead and the Morite he used for pest control also killed. Unfortunately, the immediate aftermath of the discovery would be the most dangerous time as Thyne’s temper was lethal. The Black Sun Lieutenant manically fired repeatedly into the stone slab, sending debris flying as Teela cringed behind the thing with hands over her head. Her ears were still ringing, her head ached, and she was dizzy. She slouched further and further down to avoid the flying shards and gritted her teeth, glancing at the Chiss beside her.

He had pulled her away from the Pau’an’s body and shoved her roughly behind the massive Ithorian panorama seconds before Thyne’s outburst and now the Commander was staring intently out the window in front of them. The same window that had started streaming blinding light into the whole room. Zapheri suddenly realized what they were _literally_ facing.

_Imperial sharpshooters!_

“Thrawn?” She whimpered. “Imperial marksmen don’t wear stormtrooper helmets, do they?”

As if in answer, a burst of superheated plasma lanced out over their heads – bright even in the light – and silenced the hellish fire coming from behind them. For a few moments there was only the sound of blaster fire from the floor above and some from outside on the street then -

“Commander Thrawn?” An angry voice behind them hissed.

Teela looked over at the Chiss who shook his head and motioned for her to be silent.

“You know, I think I’ll kill your girlfriend just for fun.” Thyne sounded closer. He was likely adjacent to the stone, using it the same way they were - as a shield against the enemy.

Thrawn motioned for her to moved further along the stone while he moved in the opposite direction – they would attack him from both sides. Given the sniper’s skill there was a good chance he was injured and they’d be able to overpower him.

Teela hurried to the end of the monolith and leaned around, anxious to get to the Black Sun Lieutenant first. The Commander was still in no condition for hand-to-hand combat.

They attacked him together. A spinning kick from the Chiss disarmed him and a sweep of the leg by Zapheri downed the crime lord but Thyne was surprisingly fast. He was on his feet again almost immediately and was reaching for Teela with large, clawed hands. Thrawn landed a hard but awkward punch to his head as she pulled a hair pin.

“Alive, Zapheri!”

The projectile buried itself in the Black Sun Lieutenant’s shoulder causing him to scream and curse, but he continued his advance. She sent another pin to the opposite arm but with the same effect – it only served to anger him further and Teela began to panic. She kicked the hybrid in the knee which sent him sprawling toward his weapon and he greedily made a grab for it. Thrawn quickly slammed his boot down hard on his hand but Thyne twisted around the Chiss and took his legs out from under him, scooping up the weapon as he did.

“NO!” Teela screamed as she crashed into Thrawn covering him with herself as best as she could before Thyne could bring his weapon to bare.

“ZAPHERI, NO!”

The sound of the shot jolted her body and she gasped. She looked at her Commander and studied his face. A range of emotions had passed over his features within the stuttered heartbeat it took for her to realize what she had done. His expression hardened once again, and he was back to being Thrawn.

Colonel Maximilian Veers stood in the opened doorway to the basement and over the body of Zekka Thyne, a smoking hole in the Black Sun Lieutenant’s chest. “I apologize for being tardy, Commander but we did have a bit more resistance than expected.”

“No.” The Chiss finally tore his eyes away from his aide-de-camp. “It is I that must apologize for underestimating Black Sun’s presence.”

##  **Back on the Thunder Wasp.**

“How do you know this _Colonel Veers_ from Corellia is a good ground assault commander!?”

There was a long pause…

She shrugged. “A hunch.”

Yularen stared stonily at her but grunted. “Shall I inform your uncle you’re socially involved with this, _Colonel Veers_?”

“What?” Teela gasped. “N-No! Why would you think _that_?”

The spy master smirked and mimicked her carefree shoulder movement. “A hunch.”

Zapheri’s mouth dropped open in aghast horror, her face flushed red and her lips moved soundlessly as she glared at Wullf. Finally, the old man arched his eyebrows goading her into responding.

“You loutish old man!” She half hissed in outraged, half giggled. Part of her was impressed and amused and the other was, well…appalled.

His mustache twitched in a barely concealed smile. “I’m a spy, Teela.”

She made a face. “He won’t believe you, besides I think the good Colonel is married.”

“Bothered to find that out, did you?” He mused with a devilish grin.

“Colonel Wullf Yularen!”

“Oh alright! You know I’m just teasing, Zapheri and yes your uncle knows you’re far too – “ he cocked his head slightly “-occupied to be taken by the first handsome face that comes along.”

She almost sighed with relief. The last thing she needed was correspondence from Cal lecturing her on her poor choice in male companionship and Boola’s letters asking for details of what must be an illicit affair as well as unsolicited advice on sexual positions.

… _Almost_ sighed in relief.

“But don’t believe for a moment, girl, Commander Thrawn isn’t being watched and therefore by extension you.”

_Oh no… I went from poking the krayt dragon with a stick to beating it over the head with a rock_

“I know, Wullf.” she murmured quietly.

He eyed her suspiciously for a moment and pulled at his mustache thoughtfully. “So, did _he_ go to Corellia in an attempt to capture Nightswan?”

She laughed nervously. “Oh, we’re done talking about what to tell Cal, now?”

“Oh no. Not at all. But you’ve piqued my curiosity as to the Commander’s motives for straying beyond his assigned patrol area.”

“His motive wasn’t Nightswan.” Teela shook her head, feeling the walls starting to close in on her.

_You’re not lying…not really…_

“Then enlighten me.” Yularen growled at her expressionlessly. “And while you’re at it, explain how you got tangled up with a Senator from Alderaan _on Corellia_!”

_Damn it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,
> 
> I apologize for all the grammar issues, spelling errors and typos with this. I just don't have the patience for editing - you're getting it in its raw form for which I'm sorry. It's like unpasteurized milk - straight from the cow...which means in this analogy, I'm the cow....  
> I've been called worse. ;-D  
> Hope you're all safe and of sound mind! I know life is a bit crazy; hang in there.  
> As always thank you for reading!  
> -N!


	7. About Rebelling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: None
> 
> Translations: In text
> 
> In This Chapter:  
> But where is the art?  
> Did you see that?  
> The tour guide  
> No wrongdoing here  
> A rebellious act?  
> Risk and sentiment  
> Just tell Cal...  
> Trust

##  **6 Days Before**

**Corellia, Coronet City**

Veers and his men cleared the building but unfortunately were only able to take seven prisoners – all indentured servants; they wouldn’t know the identity of their own families let alone Stratna. Thrawn silently lamented his failed attempted at finding Zapheri’s tormentor while the Colonel seemed pleased with the results. Corellia had after all been cleansed of Black Sun’s influence…for the time being.

The return trip to the garrison was silent, Teela stole a glance at the Commander to confirm what she had suspected – he was exhausted, burned from the shock collar and still mildly drugged. The Chiss would never stop though, he’d keep going until he collapsed, and it was up to her to maneuver him into resting.

“I think I will need to rest before returning to the ship, Commander.” She sighed.

Thrawn saw right through it.

“Ngabe uzama ukungiphambukisa ngenhloso, Zapheri?” **{Are you purposefully trying to divert me, Zapheri? – Sy Bisti}**

She blinked, trying for her most confused look and answered in Basic. “I don’t think so.”

He scrutinized her with narrowed eyes for another moment and made a clicking sound with his tongue turning away to hide his amusement. **“** G’enrcen’o vesen.” **{Willful woman – Cheunh}**

Teela pursed her lips and sighed, “ Angifuni nje ukuthi umuntu ovela emkhunjini azokubona – “ She lowered her voice. “ – kanje.” **{I just don’t want anyone from the ship to see you} {like this – Sy Bisti}**

“I am well, although I would be remiss if I did not briefly visit the planetary gallery.” Thrawn turned to Veers, seated nearby. “I understand there is an exhibit of Alderaanian artwork on display.”

“There was until just a few hours ago, Commander. The Alderaanian Senator arrived to collect the works.”

The Chiss grunted, his wounds having been further salted. “Pity.”

Veers side eyed Zapheri. “Although…”

“Colonel Veers, I must protest!”

“Senator Organa, my apologies.” Veers soothed.

“The Senate shall hear of my delay.”

“The delay was for your own safety. A military operation near the garrison required resources elsewhere.”

The Senator from Alderaan shifted, glancing at the two people behind his Corellian point of contact at the Imperial garrison. “And what manner of military operation warrants delay of an impending diplomatic mission?”

“One of the utmost importance, I assure you.” Veers said quietly.

Bail Organa’s level-headedness was well known but Teela wasn’t surprised by his persistence in wanting to know more. Yes, it was true, he was a politician, but he was nothing like the sniveling elitists on Coruscant. The Organas were admired for their service as diplomats and the - literally - hundreds of charities they established.

“In that case, I am sure the Senate will hear of it. Save me the time, Colonel.” The man arched his brow expectantly. “Smuggler’s I’m assuming?”

“Not quite.” Thrawn stepped forward and both Zapheri and Veers stiffened.

Organa nodded and studied the Chiss openly, his eyes flicking to his rank plaque. “I do not believe we’ve been introduced, Commander…?”

“Thrawn, Captain of the Thunder Wasp.”

Bail smiled thinly. “The cruiser in orbit.”

“Yes.”

The Senator’s eyes drifted to Teela, clearly expecting an introduction from the Commander but when none came and an awkward silence followed, she smiled tightly, mentally shaking her head at Thrawn’s continued tendency to commit social suicide on a regular basis.

“Teela Zapheri, Senator, civilian aide-de-camp to Commander Thrawn.” She curtsied.

The man smiled – genuinely smiled – stepped forward and took her hand in greeting. “ _Scholar_ Zapheri? It is such a great pleasure! I have heard so much about you. Your work on Ansion is admired greatly by the Queen and I as well as our daughter.”

“Thank you, Senator.” she found herself beaming despite the curious look from Veers. “I greatly admire your work helping the Ralltiiri refugees.”

“Ah!” Bail motioned to his transport, grinning proudly. “That would be my dau - ”

Veers conspicuously cleared his throat. “Apologies Senator, but I have a request.”

Suddenly the sparkle in the man’s eyes dulled. “Yes, Colonel?”

“As the Senate will likely hear of what transpired tonight, I see no reason to keep it from you now.” He sighed. “An undercover team consisting of Commander Thrawn and _Scholar_ –“ Veers made a face. “ – Zapheri infiltrated a criminal cell run by the Black Sun crime syndicate.”

Bail Organa’s eyes widened, his shock quickly falling back underneath the veneer of a politician as he looked down at Teela with his brow raised.

“The leader of the cell was killed as was a serial killer that has plagued Treasure Ship Row for over a year. Commander Thrawn’s tactical expertise was instrumental in liquidating the threat and seeing how the Commander is a great art enthusiast I was hoping – “

“Ah. I would under normal circumstances be happy to oblige, but we are already behind schedule and cannot afford reinspection.” Organa’s tone was polite but firm.

The Colonel shook his head and waved the other man’s concerns away. “Reinspection would not be required Senator.”

Bail hesitated somewhat, his careful gaze moved again to Zapheri and he nodded once, the movement somewhat jerky.

“If further inspection isn’t required, I suppose we could spare some time.” He commented slowly

Veers seemed sufficiently satisfied by the answer. “Thank you, Senator.”

As Alderaan’s representative led the Colonel toward the ship, Zapheri frowned slightly and glanced over at the Chiss. He caught her eye and nodded his agreement.

_He saw it too._

Bail Organa seemed relieved about not needing a reinspection.

_Very_ relieved.

At face value, no one wanted to deal with having the contents of their ship picked through. Inspections where time consuming, costly and had a tendency to turn the most mild-mannered person into an angry rancor, but a _reinspection_ was simply a verification of documentation without having to root through one’s cargo hold.

Why would Organa find it overly inconvenient unless he was hiding something in the datawork?

She and Thrawn had caught multiple smugglers trying to do the exact same thing in one form or another, and it had always given her a thrill when they tried to wiggle their way out of it. So why was Teela suddenly unsettled?

_Because Bail Organa is a good man._

And as with all good people and people of like mind, she had wanted to gain his respect. Zapheri fell into step beside the Chiss but kept her eyes forward, sighing as she did.

_Working with the ISB wasn’t the way to go about gaining anyone’s respect…_

“Ngizocela ukubona ngaphakathi komkhumbi.” He murmured. **{I will ask for a tour of the ship – Sy Bisti}**

“Cha.” She snapped, surprised at her own vehemence. “Ngivumele.” **{No. Let me. – Sy Bisti}**

From her peripheral vision she caught the red of his eyes shift to her, “Ngiyaphila.” There was a brief pause. “Kukhona akufihlayo.” **{Very well} {He is hiding something – Sy Bisti}**

Teela shook her head sadly. “Aren’t we all.”

“Ithole.” **{Find it – Sy Bisti}**

Colonel Veers did not like art. Perhaps at one point he could look at a sculpt or painting and find it pleasant but upon learning what his men in Treasure Ship Row had been killed for…

It curdled his stomach. Fortunately, no one seemed to be offended by his lack of interest in the Alderaanian pieces Organa had brought to the staging area of the cargo hold. Teela Zapheri however, seemed just as distracted and noted his indifference. She moved carefully to stand by him, making sure to give the Commander a wide berth as he quizzed the Senator about each piece.

“Colonel.” She nodded in greeting.

“Ms. Zapheri.”

“Do you not care for art?”

Veers sighed. “After what I have seen on the walls of Treasure Ship Row, ma’am, it may be some time before I can look at a piece of art without feeling anger.”

There was silence for a moment followed by a quiet response.

“I understand.”

He snapped his head to look over at her in surprise, she smiled kindly and sighed. “My boss finds meaning in all forms of art, even the macabre work of a Morite. He understands people, cultures, worlds – “ she shrugged “ – _everything_ by art, really, and translates that in his own unique way, but that doesn’t mean I can’t stand some of it and think its shit.”

He struggled to hide his smile, lost control and let it slip as he watched her teasing smile grow.

“Now what do you say about getting me a tour of this ship?”

Veers nodded, “I shall ask the Senator, ma’am, but I recommend you do not say anything about the art from his planet being ‘shit’.”

They both laughed softly just as a young woman, dressed in diplomatic robes walked into the staging area of the cargo hold.

“Father?” The girl called.

“Ah, Leia.” Bail motioned for her to join them. “Commander Thrawn, Colonel Veer, Scholar Zapheri, my daughter, Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan.”

Veers bowed his eyebrows raised in obvious surprise, Teela was immensely proud of her curtsy but Thrawn stood with his hands clasped behind his back, head cocked, and eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the girl like she was one of the artistic renderings they had just negotiated the equivalent of a nerf steak and Corellian beer to see.

_You can dress him up as a Commander, but you can’t take him off his ship. Idiot._

Finally, the Chiss bowed his head. “Greetings, Princess. Might I inquire after the health of your mother?”

Teela looked as though she had bit into something sour, the Colonel’s eyebrows had taken up a permanent residence high on his forehead and Bail Organa’s politician’s mask had slipped. Again.

The Princess, however, took it in stride. “Queen Breha is well. Thank you for your concern Commander. I will inform her you ask about her health.”

Thrawn straightened, his eyes narrowed further and Zapheri got the impression the Chiss was well and truly bewildered. “Does she still enjoy her ambassadorial work?”

Leia’s lips curled up slightly – a slight hint of confusion crossed the girls face. “Most of such duties are delegated to my father and I.”

“I see.”

Ah, but he didn’t see. He was still studying her like she was some apparition.

She regally slipped to her father’s side and Zapheri shot the Commander a how-are-you-trying-to-destroy-yourself-now look. He shook his head minutely and returned to his previous conversation with Bail Organa.

“Senator – “ The Colonel quickly interjected, realizing he needed to make his request now or he’d never get it in once Thrawn started on his art obsession. “- as Scholar Zapheri is less familiar with the CR90 Corvettes, would it be possible for her to take a tour of your ship?”

Organa blinked and once again, the carefully crafted politician’s mask slipped, albeit only a bit this time.

“Of course.” He turned to his daughter. “Leia, would you?”

“Yes, of course.”

Teela sighed in relief and followed as the girl led her out of the cargo hold and into a corridor.

“This is the main – “

“Pardon me, Your Highness, but the tour isn’t necessary.” Zapheri bit her lip as she looked down at the young woman.

The girl stopped; her dark eyes moved from her to the cargo bay door suspicionly. “Very well, what is it I can assist you with, Scholar Zapheri?”

She looked down at her shoes sheepishly. “Nothing Your Highness. I just –“ She bit her lip. Feeling the guilt and nervousness creep into her.

_This is one of the most ridiculously irresponsible things you’ve done! What if they turn out to be smuggling weapons? Thrawn is going to be pissed._

Teela looked up to see the younger woman – girl, really – watching her, a hint of confusion pulling at her brow.

No, Alderaan was a peaceful world, there was no weaponry and every citizen of the planet cared deeply for service to their fellow being.

“It was _suggested_ I take a tour of the ship to try to understand why your father was so hesitant toward wanting a simple reinspection.” She shrugged, guiltily turning away to look around the corridor. “The Commander and I have caught smugglers using similar excuses.”

“And do _you_ think we are smugglers?”

Zapheri’s eyes slowly slid back to the Princess and the two appraised each other.

Teela inhaled and shifted with discomfort, recognizing Leia’s question for what it was – a tactical maneuver. “I believe you are hiding something.”

“I wager even your Commander hides things.” Leia smiled thinly.

“Indeed, he does.” She returned the smile, fell into step beside the girl and the two walked slowly side-by-side down the hallway. 

The Princess of Alderaan suddenly pursed her lips and looked carefully over at the older woman. “If you were supposed to search for evidence of wrongdoing, why are you telling me?”

“I happen to appreciate what you and your family do.”

Leia’s eyes brightened. “Then why not come with us?”

The ache in Teela’s chest was real and it prompted her to stop mid-stride. “I wish I could.”

They stared at each other for a moment, until finally the girl bobbed her head in understanding.

“It’s the Commander, isn’t it? He needs you.”

She couldn’t hide her utter shock from the Princess but what surprised her most was the small hint of anger and resentment that flashed painfully and buried itself in her stomach like a rock.

“Thrawn is capable and can handle things without me. I’m superfluous.” She gritted her teeth, hating her own petulance.

“I doubt that.” Leia blinked up at her. “You’re a valued scholar, a philanthropist; someone who sees past the Empire’s ethnocentrism. If you weren’t, you _certainly_ wouldn’t be with Commander Thrawn.”

Zapheri arched an eyebrow and stifled a disbelieving chuckle. “And you think the Commander is using _me_ as a shield?”

“Not at all!” The Princess smiled knowingly. “In order for him to have gotten as far as he has, he must be very capable, very –“ She paused and Teela was certain she was going to say ‘dangerous’ but the younger woman once again, failed to do as Zapheri had expected of her. “ – _persistent_.”

“Indeed, he is.”

They settled into comfortable silence as they walked slowly down the corridor of the ship until finally Teela sighed. “Well, I didn’t see any discrepancies, your Highness. I will have to explain to Commander Thrawn that politicians have a tendency to want to forego additional inspections, even if it’s as simple as a document check or reinspection as it generates gossip.”

Organa hummed in agreement, her eyes twinkling as a small smile pulled at her lips. “He doesn’t understand politicians.”

“No. Not even a little.”

“Pity.”

“If they were to draw him a picture, he’d be able to tell you how he could beat them at Dejeerk, but…”

At this, Leia snorted – an entirely un-Princess-like sound - and Zapheri decided she liked the girl even more than she did before.

“ – their numbers so great they block out the sun. Notice the color and texture here and –“

The sudden sound of female amusement interrupted the Commander’s treatise on the piece and the Senator from Alderaan spun to find his daughter and Teela Zapheri both laughing as they entered the cargo bay staging area.

“ – hardly know what to do with them?” Leia was grinning at the other woman.

The scholar shrugged good-naturedly. “At that point I was just relieved to know I didn’t have to clean them!”

Both chortled merrily over the shared joke as he, Thrawn and Veers stared dumbfounded. The two sobered slowly, like old friends enjoying fond memories and the Chiss slowly resumed his lecture. Bail was relieved to note that the Commander’s enthusiasm for explaining Alderaanian art to him had lessened with the return of his aide-de-camp. It wasn’t that his analysis had been wrong – on the contrary, everything the alien had commented on seemed to strike a disturbingly familiar chord within the Senator – but it just seemed so…arrogant for someone to presumed to know all your history, your philosophy and your culture without having lived a single day on your planet.

_Yet, here he is. Explaining it in perfect detail._

Bail Organa had spent thirty minutes with Thrawn and had come to the conclusion the man was brilliant and _extremely_ dangerous. He only hoped that his daughter was able to distract the Commander’s scholarly assistant or he would have his hands full explaining to Colonel Veers how several mysterious crates of heavily regulated “non-perishables” ended up on the Tantive IV.

Teela Zapheri nodded to him as she approached her commander. “You have an impressive ship and I must thank you again, your Highness, for the tour.”

Organa caught Leia’s eye and she smiled. “You are most welcome, Scholar Zapheri.”

“Commander?” The woman stepped confidently to his side. “Abukho ubufakazi bokwenza okungalungile lapha.” **{There is no evidence of wrongdoing here – Sy Bisti}**

“I see.” Thrawn nodded, his eyes never moving from the painting he’d been studying.

“Badinga ukuba sendleleni maduze.” She said gently at his elbow. **{They will need to go soon. – Sy Bisti}**

“Yebo, ngiyazi. Ubuke wonke amarekhodi? Okubonakalayo?” **{Yes, I know. Did you look at all the records? The manifest? – Sy Bisti}**

“Yebo kwakungekho lutho okungathandeki.” **{Yes, there was nothing anomalous. – Sy Bisti}**

The Chiss abruptly turned and looked at her, nodded solemnly and spun on his heels to face the Organas.

“Thank you for your time Senator, Princess.” He bowed and Teela felt herself huff out a breath in relief.

“I enjoyed your analysis of our art, Commander.” Bail clasped his hands together and Leia smiled warmly as her eyes flicked to the other woman. “You and Scholar Zapheri are welcome to come to Alderaan where we have many more examples of our heritage.”

“Perhaps one day.”

After biding their final farewell to Colonel Veers during which it was clear the Corellian had a newfound respect for the Chiss Commander, their return to the Thunder Wasp was spent in silence. She shifted nervously in her seat waiting for him to confront her. As the transport touched down in the hanger of the ship – his ship – Teela bit the inside of her lip hard enough to bleed.

She disobeyed an order.

Although she was a civilian, she was still under the auspices of the Imperial Security Bureau and the Navy and if he or, more importantly Yularen, were to find out that she had become momentarily rebellious…more to the point it could blow back on him if he didn’t tell the ISB of her transgression.

But how bad was it really? How rebellious an act was it?

To not look when she was told to. It would have been different if she looked when she wasn’t supposed to. One couldn’t see what one didn’t look for, however one couldn’t _unsee_ those things one sought – especially Teela Zapheri with her cursed memory.

“You are relieved of further obligations until next shift.” Thrawn nodded to her as they marched down the ramp into the hanger bay.

“Thank you.”

She entered the cargo bay 15 minutes early, pre-empting his likely prompt arrival for their 2100 hours spar time to find he was already there. She dropped her satchel and guiltily made her way over to her usual spot.

“Early.” He mused.

“You too.”

He hummed, a rumble in his chest that made her wince.

Thrawn was either aiming for psychological torture or he was just going to beat a confession out of her. Zapheri wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.

“Just ask.” Teela whispered.

Those enigmatic red eyes narrowed. “What was it about the Senator that made you believe he could not have broken Imperial law?”

“What was it about the Senator that made you believe he _could_ have broken Imperial law?”

The Commander’s face hardened as he stepped forward, taking up a defensive position.

“You put yourself in a – “ he made a face.

“Okuyingozi?”

“Precarious.” She tutted at him. “I gave you that once before.”

He grunted, ignoring her sardonic critique. “You put yourself in a precarious position. I am also placed in the same position as I am the custodian of your contract.”

Teela’s lips curled in anger. “Now you’re my _custodian_?”

“You are angry.”

“And you’re acting like a jerk.”

He shook his head, his rough exhale of air sounding like a growl. “This is not going to be a pleasant session if you insist on vulgarity, Zapheri.”

“Woza uzowuthatha, imbongolo!” **{Come and get it, asshole! – Sy Bisti}**

Thrawn lowered his head and nodded once sharply. “Very well.”

He advanced quickly but she was fast. Teela tripped him and the Chiss actually went sprawling, in a rare display of self-control she refrained from trying to pin him. She’d had little success in keeping him immobile and most of the time he managed to overpower her, and she ended up on her back. The Commander quickly made it to his feet as Zapheri took up a defensive position.

_“Tell me, why the Organas?”_

_“The Senator is a politician. Politicians do not like secondary inspections or reinspection.”_ She arched back away from a high kick. _“It makes for bad gossip.”_

That was the lie she agreed to tell him…

And of course, he saw through it.

“Unamanga.” He replied coldly. **{You lie. – Sy Bisti}**

The reproachfulness in his tone caught her off-guard and it was enough for him to grab her wrist and sling her around into his body. She struggled as she usually did, sending a strong elbow into his abdomen that would have sent any other man down to his knees – it merely prodded a grunt from the Chiss.

He hefted her up and pinned her to the nearest wall. “Tell me!” he barked, his eyes flashing angrily.

“Fine!” She screamed; their faces pressed together. “I admire what the Organas do. They’re philanthropists, they’re proud of not being like the elitist scum on Coruscant that think wealth and power are more important than helping people less fortunate. And for a single moment I missed being that! I missed the Institute! I missed Ansion!”

His nostrils flared. “So you risked all because of _sentiment_?”

The sharp pain in her chest – the one that ached and burned, stabbed and suffocated her after…

_…“I cannot have you, Zapheri.”_

“Nguwe kuphela ovunyelwe ukuthatha izingozi, Mitth’raw’nuruodo? Futhi yimi ngedwa onemizwa ethile?” **{Are you the only one allowed to take risks, Mitth’raw’nuruodo? And am I the only one who has any sentiment?}**

## Back on the Thunder Wasp

Teela sighed unhappily. “No don’t tell Cal I met a Senator _or_ a Princess…he’ll just think Thrawn’s getting court martialed again.”

Yularen snorted and rubbed his forehead. “Well, at the rate he keeps pissing people off.”

“Sorry.” She shrugged. “I’m doing my best to keep him out of trouble.”

The Colonel waved her apology away. “No, no. He gets results. You can’t argue with that!”

“Apparently someone can.”

He gave her a dark look. “Don’t get me started on the politicians that talk out their ass here on Coruscant. Although…he apparently has acquired a recent admirer.”

“The Senator?” Zapheri smiled knowingly.

“The Senator.” He confirmed dryly. “An oddity given that Organa has never taken kindly to military matters.”

“Let’s just say Thrawn impressed him with his interest in Alderaanian art and culture.”

He chuckled. “Ah, why am I not surprised.” He sighed and eyed the woman sitting quietly in Thrawn’s office, parsecs away. “Well, what should I _really_ tell your uncle?”

“Tell him – “ she pursed her lips and smiled thinly. “ – tell him I’m fine.”

“Wonderful.” Yularen rolled his eyes. “I’ll figure something out. You’ve always been a bit of a rebel.”

Teela bobbed her head and smiled thinly.

_Choice words…_

“Thanks, Wullf.”

“Now send in the Commander. I need to speak with him about your next assignment.”

Colonel Wullf Yularen was apparently satisfied with the answers he received from the Chiss and his aide-de-camp. The flickering blue holo-image of the ISB’s top agent finally dematerialized as Thrawn sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers in thought.

Whether it was through the lack of observation on Colonel Veers’ part or just the absence of suspicion of the Alderaanian Senator in general – which the Commander highly doubted given the man’s reputation – the ISB wasn’t at all displeased over his handling of the “Organa situation.”

In fact, Yularen noted his rare show of political astuteness and suggested he complement Zapheri on what he assumed was her guidance on the matter. Certainly, Thrawn would never tell anyone Teela had not only been silent on advice, but she had disobeyed an order and lied to an Imperial Officer – her own Commander!

_Her friend._

They were friends, were they not?

Some days it was hard to say.

Their relationship had been tense since their confrontation over her betrayal during their sparring session.

_…“So you risked all because of sentiment?”_

_…“Are you the only one allowed to take risks, Mitth’raw’nuruodo? And am I the only one who has any sentiment?”..._

The pain in her face and voice had been evident so much so Thrawn feared he had physically hurt her. No, the pain he inflicted upon her – without even meaning to – wasn’t physical.

He immediately released her, and she had slid down the wall - would have crumpled at his feet had he not caught her – and ended up with her arms wrapped around his neck in a loose embrace as she cried into his shoulder. Their truce had been fragile since her return to the Thunder Wasp and the elimination of the assassin, Vanya Grantar – the gesture was the closest she had come to uninhibited affection toward him since…

_…“I understand you. I don’t need anything from you! Just you. Only you! Ngayikathunda!!”_

His immediate instinct upon finding himself in her arms after slamming her into a wall, was to murmur apologies for the countless mistakes he’d made, bury his head in her hair and inhale deeply – relive his drug-induced lack of decorum on Corellia. But his own better judgement, self-discipline and the memory of their “agreement” prompted him to push her away and storm out of the cargo bay more disappointed with himself than with her.

_…“Can we – ? Can we go back to the way it was before?”…_

_…“It cannot be as it once was.”…_

_…“But if we do not talk about it? Pretend it did not happen…?”…_

_…“Is that what you wish?”…_

_…“That is what I wish.”…_

_…“Very well.”…_

His drug addled brain, post torture hadn’t thought it through…He lived a fantasy and she played along. Why?

_You know why but you are a coward._

Zapheri had seemed uncertain of how to approach him since his abrupt departure from the cargo bay. She had become overly formal – which for Teela was irksome – it usually occurred in his presence when she was plotting revenge against a technician for one of their juvenile pranks.

Really what vexed him most wasn’t the fact that she had lied to him.

_You lie to each other every day. I by omission and she by minimization._

It was that the pendulum had swung, and she wasn’t on the side he expected her to be on. How was he to protect her; to protect _them_ ; the Chiss Ascendency or anyone for that matter if he couldn’t preempt or contain someone as seemingly predictable as Teela Zapheri.

_Ah, but she is not predictable. She is dangerous and that is different._

Usually, their goals and opinions aligned. They saw the universe in a similar way and their differing opinions did not spawn significant contention. In general, there was an understanding. _This_ was the first time the two had _truly_ deviated.

It begged the question though, should someone who carries out acts of goodwill while also breaking Imperial law be prosecuted for their crimes?

Zapheri’s argument had been the Senator smuggling goods wasn’t likely to hurt anyone, yet there had been no evidence to suggest Organa wasn’t trafficking weapons to sow discontent in an already unstable social environment given his political leanings.

_There was no evidence to suggest he_ was _smuggling…Except…_

Thrawn just _knew_.

Teela knew it too.

And all they needed was to find the proof…which she stubbornly refused to search for.

Yes, this was the first time they had significantly diverged on how he conducted himself as an officer in the Imperial Navy…and he was certain it would not be the last. However, the next time the fallout would likely be much more painful to one or both of them. If they didn’t figure out how to avert the problem now, it could ruin them permanently.

And then, there was the matter of intimacy.

He sighed.

How he loathed himself. Why had he indulged in her? He should have pulled away instead of pressing closer; should have taken careful breaths like he did when they sparred, not inhaled her scent – relishing the familiar smell of moonflower. He should have never let her move her fingers gently through his hair like she would have if they were lovers lying in bed after –

The chime interrupted his reverie, and he keyed the remote to open the door. Zapheri walked into his office, biting her lip nervously as she approached. She didn’t sit down as she usually did. There was no cheeky greeting and no smile that softened his soul.

“Commander.” She nodded. “Do you require my assistance?”

The door hissed closed behind her and her shoulder twitched slightly. Was she seriously afraid of him? A part of Thrawn winced at the thought.

_“Please sit, Zapheri.”_

Her lips parted as if to argue or offer some excuse as to why she could not but she bobbed her head robotically and sat staring at the top of his desk. He waited several moments for her gaze to meet his though she continued to stare woodenly at nothing.

_“Zapheri, please look at me.”_

Slowly her dark eyes moved up to his red-on-red and her inhaled breath caught. “I’m sorry.” She mouthed.

Thrawn shook his head slowly. “Colonel Yularen did not ask about Organa’s vessel.”

Teela jerked her head in disbelief, her eyes blinked and widened in astonishment. “Why not?”

“I did not tell him I noticed a problem.”

“You did not tell him you noticed a problem?” Her brow was furrowed now, her lips parted as if she were back to concentrating on hyperdrive theory.

He arched a polite eyebrow and tilted his head back slightly. They watched each other for a moment until finally Zapheri let out a shaky breath.

“Why?”

“I saw no reason to inform him when I had no proof. It was not relevant to my main objective in going to Corellia and it was actually suggested, I commend you for your advisory role in the matter.”

She made a face.

The Chiss smiled thinly and clarified before she could ask. “The Colonel believed searching the Senator’s ship would have been a political blunder on my part. He wished to extend his congratulations to us for our – “ He paused and his smile tightened slightly “ – foresight.”

“That’s krayt spit and you know it, Thrawn!”

The Commander blinked and scowled. At length he nodded once. “Regardless of how you came to the conclusion, you saved – “ He cocked his head to the side as if quickly considering his words. “ – _us_ from a potentially embarrassing situation, one that I am still struggling to understand.”

Teela shrugged sheepishly. “Obviously, it’s one I don’t understand either.”

“We learn, Zapheri. We learn and we adapt.”

She nodded. “But you are still upset.”

“Yes.” He said softly.

They were silent for a moment, then –

“I have my reasons, Zapheri.”

His aide bobbed her head silently as she met his hard gaze but a series of emotions played out across her features.

“You must trust me as you once did, Teela Zapheri.”

“I trust you!” She growled at him defensively. “The question is, do _you_ trust _me_?”

He had anticipated this question.

Her instinctual reaction to throw herself in front of Zekka Thyne’s blaster was something he wasn’t surprised over – she was loyal and empathetic – but his reaction to her near-innate motion had been one of melancholy and self-loathing. She had done it not just out of loyalty and empathy. Teela had done it for him.

_Love. She had done it out of love._

But he could not openly return it. At least not yet.

_Trust. That is what I can give openly. At least for now._

“Implicitly.”

There was no hesitation, no consideration given to his answer. It, like Zapheri’s actions in the darkened basement on Corellia, had been instinctive. Given out of love, although she could never know it.

The answer shocked her, the confidence in which he provided it, even more so, and she inhaled sharply. Her eyes started to water. She bobbed her head vigorously; two large tears finally falling quickly down her cheeks after becoming too burdensome for her eye lashes to support. _“Thank you.”_

He inclined his head solemnly.

“Perhaps – “ He cocked his head and arched that slightly amused, always-inquisitive eyebrow of his – the one that Teela wanted to slap off his face half the time “ – you might finally consider offering me some challenge when we spar?”

“I hate you when you’re like this.” She grinned. “And yes, it would be my distinct pleasure to kick your ass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> Well, it's done. I can't say I'm entirely happy with the plot but it just kinda plopped out this way. Just don't tell Cal. I'm still working on other things for cheap therapy and I'll post them when they are at a stage where it looks like I didn't write them when I had 6 hours of sleep over 2.5 days.   
> Hope yer all happy, healthy, doing yer thing and having a good time out there. Be safe and as always thank you for reading! You're awesome and kind and patient and you should go get some ice cream!  
> -N!


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